menu_book Chapter 10

CHAPTER X OF DRACULA BY BRAM STOKER This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. CHAPTER X Letter, Dr. Seward to the Honourable Arthur Holmwood, 6th September My dear Art, my news today is not so good.

Lucy this morning had gone back a bit. There is, however, one good thing which has arisen from it. Mrs. Westenmao was naturally anxious concerning Lucy, and has consulted me professionally about her. I took advantage of the opportunity, and told her that my old master, Van Helsing, the great specialist, was coming to stay with me, and that I would put her in his charge conjointly with myself.

So now we can come and go without alarming her unduly, for a shock to her would mean sudden death, and this, in Lucy's weak condition, might be disastrous to her. We are hedged in with difficulties, all of us, my poor old fellow, but please God we shall come through them all right. If any need, I shall write, so that if you do not hear from me, take it for granted that I am simply waiting for news in haste. Yours ever, John Seward. Dr. Seward's Diary, 7th of September.

The first thing Van Helsing said to me when we met at Liverpool Street was, Have you said anything to our young friend, the lover of her? No, I said. I waited till I had seen you. As I said in my telegram, I wrote him a letter simply telling him that you were coming, as Miss Westenra was not so well, and that I should let him know if need be.

Right, my friend, he said. Quite right. Better he not know you as yet. perhaps he shall never know i pray so and if he be needed then he shall know all and my good friend john let me caution you all men are mad in some way or the other and inasmuch as you deal discreetly with your madmen so you deal with god's madmen too the rest of the world you tell not your madmen what you do nor why you do it you tell them not what you think so you shall keep knowledge in its place where it may rest where it may gather its kind around it and breed

and i shall keep as yet what we know here and here he touched me on the heart and on the forehead and touched himself the same way too i have for myself thoughts at the present later i shall unfold to you why not now i asked it may do some good we may arrive at some decision he stopped and looked at me and said my friend john when the corn is grown even before it is ripened while the milk of its mother earth is in him and the sunshine has not yet begun to paint him with his gold the husbandman he pull the ear and rub him between his rough hands and blow away the green chaff and say to you look he's good corn he will make a good crop when the time comes i did not see the application and told him so for reply he reached over and took my ear in his hand and pulled it playfully as he used long ago to do at lectures and said

the good husbandman tell you so then because he knows but not till then for you do not find the good husbandman dig up his planted corn to see if he grow that is for the children who play at husbandry and not for those who take it as of the work of their life See you now, friend John. I have sown my corn, and nature has a work to do in making it sprout, if he sprout at all.

There's some promise, and I wait till the ear begins to swell. He broke off, for he evidently saw that I understood, and he went on very gravely. You were always a careful student,

and your casebook was ever more full than the rest. You were only student then. Now you are master. I trust that good habit of not fail remember my friend

that knowledge is stronger than memory and we should not trust the weaker even if you have not kept the good practice let me tell you that this case

of our dear miss is one that may be, mind I say may be of such interest to us and others that all the rest may not make him kick the bean

as your people say and take good note of it, nothing is too small. I counsel you, put down in record, even your doubts and surmises. Hereafter, it may be of interest to you to see how true you guess. We learn from failure, not from success. When I describe Lucy's symptoms the same as before, but infinitely more marked, he looked

very grave, but said nothing. He took with him a bag in which were many instruments and drugs. the ghastly paraphernalia of our beneficial trade, as he once called it in one of his lectures, the equipment of a professor of the healing craft. When we were shown in, Mrs. Weston and I met us. She was alarmed, but not nearly so much as I expected to find her.

Nature, in one of her beneficent moods, has ordained that even death has some antidote to its own terrors. Here, in a case where any shock may prove fatal, matters are so ordered that from some cause or other, the things not personal, even the terrible change in her daughter,

to whom she is so attached, do not seem to reach her. It's something like why dame nature gathers round a foreign body an envelope of some insensitive tissue,

which can protect from evil that which it would otherwise harm by contact. If this be an ordered selfishness, then we should pause before we condemn anyone for the vice of egoism, for there may be deeper root for its causes than we have knowledge of. I used my knowledge of this phase of spiritual

pathology and laid down a rule that she should not be present with Lucy or think of her illness more than was absolutely required. She assented readily, so readily that I saw again the hand of nature, fighting for life. Van Helsing and I were shown up to Lucy's room. If I was shocked when I saw her yesterday, I was horrified when I saw her today. She was ghastly, chalkily pale. The red seemed to have gone even from her lips and gums, and the bones of her face stood out prominently.

Her breathing was painful to see or hear. Van Helsing's face grew set as marble, and his eyebrows converged till they almost touched over his nose. Lucy lay motionless and did not seem to have the strength to speak. So for a while we were all silent. Then Van Helsing beckoned to me, and we went gently out of the room. The instant we had closed the door, he stepped quickly along the passage to the next door, which was open. Then he pulled me quickly in with him and closed the door.

My God, he said, this is dreadful. There is no time to be lost. She will die for sheer want of blood. To keep the heart's action as it should be. There must be a transfusion of blood at once. Is it you or me? I am younger and stronger, Professor. It must be me. And get ready at once. I will bring up my bag. I am prepared. I went downstairs with him as we were going. There was a knock on the hall door. When we reached the hall, the maid had just opened the door,

and Arthur was stepping quickly in. He rushed up to me, saying in an eager whisper, Jack, I was so anxious. I read between the lines of your letter and have been in agony. Dad was better, so I ran down here to see for myself. Is not that gentleman Dr. Van Helsing? I am so thankful to you, sir, for coming. When first the professor's eye had lit upon him, he had been angry at his interruption at such a time.

But now as he took his stalwart proportions and recognised the strong and young manhood which seemed to emanate from him. His eyes gleamed. Without a pause, he said to him gravely as he held out his hand,

Sir, you have come in time. You are the lover of our dear miss. She is bad, very, very bad. Nay, my child, do not go on like that, for he suddenly grew pale and sat down

in a chair, almost fainting. You are to help her. You can do more than any that live, and your courage is your best help. what can i do asked arthur hoarsely tell me and i shall do it my life is hers and i'd give the last drop of my blood in my body for her the professor has a strongly humorous side and i could see from old knowledge detect a trace of its origin in his answer

my young sir i do not ask so much as that not the last what shall i do there was fire in his eyes and his open nostril quivered with intent van helsing slapped him on the shoulder come he said you're a man and it is a man we want you're better than me better than my friend john Arthur looked bewildered, and the professor went on, by explaining in a kindly way, Young Miss is bad, very bad. She wants blood, and blood she must have or die. My friend John and I have consulted, and we are about to perform what we call a transfusion of blood,

to transfer from full veins of one to the empty veins which pine for him. John was to give his blood, and he is the more young and strong than me. Here Arthur took my hand and wrung it hard in silence. But now you are here, you are more good than us, old or young, who toil much in the world of thought. Our nerves are not so calm, and our blood not so bright than yours. Arthur turned to him and said, if you only knew how gladly I would die for her, you would understand. He stopped

with a sort of choke in his voice. Good boy, said Van Helsing. In the not so far off you will be happy that you have done all for her you love.

Come now and be silent. You shall kiss her once before it's done. But then you must go and you must leave at my sign. Say no word to madame.

You know how it is with her. There must be no shock. Any knowledge of this would be one. Come. We all went up to Lucy's room.

Arthur, by direction, remained outside. Lucy turned her head and looked at us, but said nothing. She was not asleep, but she was simply too weak to make the effort. Her eyes spoke to us, that was all. Van Helsing took some things from his bag and laid them on a little table out of sight, and he mixed a narcotic. Coming over to the bed, he said cheerily, Now, little miss, here is your medicine. Drink it off, like a good child. See, I lift you so,

so that to swallow is easy yes she had made the effort with success it astonished me how long it took the drug to act this in fact marked the extent of her weakness the time seemed endless until sleep began to flicker in her eyelids at last however the narcotic began to manifest its potency and she fell into a deep sleep when the professor was satisfied he called arthur into the room and bade him strip off his coat and he added you may take that one little kiss whilst i bring over the table friend john helped to me so neither of us looked whilst he bent over her van helsing turning to me said he is so young and strong of blood so pure that we need not defibrillate it Then, with a swiftness, but with absolute method, Van Helsing performed the operation.

As the transfusion went on, something like life seemed to come back to poor Lucy's cheeks, and through Arthur's growing pallor, the joy of his face seemed absolutely to shine. After a bit, I began to grow anxious, for the loss of blood was telling on Arthur, strong man as he was. It gave me an idea of what a terrible strain Lucy's system must have undergone, but what weakened Arthur only partially restored her.

But the Professor's face was set, and he stood watch in hand, and with his eyes fixed now on the patient and now on Arthur, I could hear my own heartbeat. Presently he said in a soft voice, Do not stir an instant. It is enough.

You attend to him. I will look to her. when all was over i could see how much arthur was weakened i dressed the wound and took his arm to bring him away when van helsing spoke without turning round the man seems to have eyes in the back of his head the brave lover i think deserve another kiss which he shall have presently and as he had now finished his operation he adjusted the pillow to the patient's head as he did so the narrow black velvet band which she seems always to wear round her throat buckled with an old diamond's buckle which her lover had given her was dragged a little up and showed a red mark on her throat arthur did not notice it but i could hear the deep hiss of indrawn breath which is one of van helsing's ways of betraying emotion he said nothing at the moment but turned to me saying now take down our brave young lover give him of the port wine and let him lie down a while he must then go home and rest sleep much and eat much that he may be recruited of what he has so given to his love

He must not stay here. Hold a moment. I may take it, sir, that you are anxious of result. Then bring it with you that in all ways the operation is successful. You have saved her life this time,

and you can go home and rest easy in mind. All that can be is. I shall tell her all when she is well. She shall love you nonetheless for what you have done. Goodbye.

When Arthur had gone, I went back to the room. Lucy was sleeping gently, but her breathing was stronger. I could see the counterpane moving as her breast heathed by the bedside, and Van Helsing looking at her intently. The velvet band again covered the red mark.

I asked the professor in a whisper, What do you make of that mark on her throat? What do you make of it? I've not examined it yet, I answered. And then and there proceeded to loose the band,

just over the external jugular vein. There were two punctures, not large, but not wholesome looking, and there was no sign of disease. But the edges were white and worn looking,

as if by some trituration. It had once occurred to me that this world, or whatever it was, might be the means of that manifest loss of blood. But I abandoned the idea as soon as formed,

for such a thing could not be. The whole bed would have drenched to a scarlet with the blood which the girl must have lost, to leave such a pallor as she had before the transfusion. Well, said Van Helsing. Well, said I, I can make nothing of it.

The professor stood up. I must get back to Amsterdam tonight, he said. There are books and things there which I want. You must remain here all the night, and you must not let your sight pass from her. Shall I have a nurse, I asked.

We are the best nurses, you and I. You keep watch all night, see that she is well fed and that nothing disturbs her. You must not sleep all the night. Later on we can sleep, you and I. I shall be back as soon as possible, and then we may begin.

May begin, I said. What on earth do you mean? We shall see, he answered as he hurried out. He came back a moment later and put his head inside the door and said with a warning finger held up, Remember, she is your charge.

If you leave her and harm before, you shall not sleep easy hereafter. Dr. Seward's diary continued. 8th September I sat up all night with Lucy. The opiate worked itself off towards dusk, and she waked naturally.

She looked a different being from what she had been before the operation. Her spirits even were good, and she was filled with a happy vivacity. but I could see evidences of what the absolute prostration which she had undergone. When I told Mrs. Westonar that Dr. Van Helsing

had directed that I should sit up with her she almost poo-pooed the idea pointing out her daughter's renewed strength and excellent spirits. I was firm, however, and made preparations for my long vigil.

When the maid had prepared her for the night I came in, having in the meantime had supper and took a seat by the bedside. She did not in any way make objection, but looked at me gratefully whenever I caught her eye.

After a long spell she seemed sinking off to sleep, but with an effort seemed to pull herself together and shook it off. This was repeated several times, with greater effort and with shorter pauses as time moved on. It was apparent that she did not want to sleep,

so I tackled the subject at once. You do not want to go to sleep? No, I am afraid. Afraid to go to sleep? Why so? It's the boon we all crave for.

Ah, not if you were like me. If sleep was to you a presage of horror. A presage of horror? What on earth do you mean? I don't know. I don't know.

It's what is so terrible. All this weakness comes to me in sleep until I dread the very thought. But, my dear girl, you may sleep tonight. I am here watching you,

and I can promise that nothing will happen. I can trust you. I seized the opportunity and said, I promise you that if I see any evidence of bad dreams, I will wake you at once.

You will? Oh, will you really? How good you are to me, then I will sleep. And almost at the word, she gave a deep sigh of relief and sank back asleep.

All night long I watched by her. She never stirred. I slept on and on in a deep, tranquil, life-saving, health-giving sleep. Her lips were slightly parted, and her breast rose and fell with the regularity of a pendulum. There was a smile on her face, and it was evident that no bad dreams had come to disturb her peace of mind.

In the early morning her maid came, and I left her in her care, and took myself back home, for I was anxious about many things. I sent a short wire to Van Helsing and to Arthur, telling them of the excellent result of the operation. My own work, with its manifold arrears, took me all day to clear off. It was dark when I was able to inquire about my Soushage's patient.

The report was good. He had been quite quiet for the past day and night. A telegram came from Van Helsing at Amsterdam, whilst I was at dinner, suggesting that I should be at Hillingham tonight, as it might be well to be at hand and stating that he was leaving by a nightmare

and would join me early in the morning. 9th of September I was pretty tired and worn out when I got to Henningham. For two nights I had hardly had a wink of sleep and my brain was beginning to feel that numbness

which marks cerebral exhaustion. Lucy was up and in cheerful spirits when she shook hands with me. She looked sharply at my face and said, no sitting up tonight for you. You're worn out. I'm quite well again. Indeed I am.

If there is to be any sitting up in his eye, he will sit up with you. I would not argue the point, but went on and had my supper. Lucy came with me, and enlivened by her charming presence, I made an excellent meal and had a couple of glasses of the more than excellent port. Then Lucy took me upstairs and showed me a room next to her own, where a cosy fire was burning. Now, she said, you must stay here. I shall leave this door open and my door

too. You can lie on the sofa, for I know that nothing would induce any of you doctors to go to bed whilst there's a patient above the horizon. If I want anything, I shall call out and you can come to me at once. I could not but acquiesce, for I was dog-tired, and could not have sat up had I tried. So on her renewing her promise to call me if she should want anything, I lay on the sofa and forgot all about everything. Lucy Westonra's Diary, 9th of September.

I feel so happy tonight. I've been so miserably weak that to be able to think and move about is like feeling sunshine after a long spell of east wind out of a steel sky. Somehow Arthur feels very close to me. I seem to feel his presence warm about me. I suppose it is that sickness and weakness are selfish things, and turn our inner eyes and our sympathy on ourselves. whilst health and strength give love reign

and in thought and feeling he can wonder where he wills. I know where my thoughts are if only Arthur knew my dear dear

your ears must tingle as you sleep as mine do waking. Oh the blissful rest of last night how I slept with that dear good Dr Seward watering me

and tonight I shall not fear to sleep since he is close at hand and within call. thank everybody for being so good to me thank god good night arthur dr seward's diary tenth of september i was conscious of the professor's hand on my head started awakening at all in the second. That is one of the things that we learn in an asylum,

at any rate. And how is our patient? Well, when I left her, or rather when she left me, I answered, come, let us see, he said. And together we went into the room. The blind was down, and I went over to raise it gently whilst Van Helsing stepped with his soft cat-like tread over to the bed. As I raised the blind and the morning sunlight flooded in the room, I heard the professor's low hiss of inspiration

and knowing its rarity a deadly fear shot through my heart as I passed over he moved back and his exclamation of horror got in him

needed no enforcement from his agonised face he raised his hand and pointed to the bed and his iron face was drawn and ashen white I felt my knees begin to tremble there on the bed seemingly in a swoon

lay poor Lucy more horribly white and one-looking than ever. Even the lips were white and the gums seemed to have shrunken back from the teeth

as we sometimes see in a corpse after a prolonged illness. Van Helsing raised his foot to stamp in anger but the instinct of his life and all the long years of habit

stood to him and he put it down again softly. Quick, he said, bring the brandy. I flew to the dining room and returned to the decanter.

He wetted the poor white lips with it and together we rubbed the palms and wrist and heart he felt her heart and after a few moments of agonising suspense said it's not too late it beats though but feebly all our work is undone we must begin again there is no young arthur here now i have to call upon yourself this time friend john as he spoke he was dipping into his bag and producing the instruments for the transfusion i had taken up my coat and rolled up my shirt-sleeve there was no possibility of an opiate at present and no need of one and so without a moment's delay we began the operation after a time it did not seem a short time either for the draining away of one's blood no matter how willingly it be given is a terrible feeling van helsing held up a warning finger

do not stir he said but i fear with growing strength she may wake and that would make danger oh so much danger but i shall precaution take i shall give hypodermic injection of morphia he proceeded then swiftly and deftly to carry out his intent the effect on lucy was not bad for the faint seemed to merge subtly into the narcotic sleep it was with a feeling of personal pride that i could see a faint tinge of colour steal back into the pallid cheeks and lips no man knows till he experiences it what it is to feel his own life-blood drawn away into the veins of a woman he loves the professor watched me critically that will do he said already i remonstrated and took a great deal more from art to which he smiled a sad sort of smile as he replied he is a lover her fiancé you have much work to do for her for others and the present will suffice when we stopped the operation he attended to lucy whilst i applied digital pressure to my own incision i lay down whilst i waited his leisure to attend to me

for i felt faint and a little sick by and by he bound up my wound and sent me downstairs to get a glass of wine for myself as i was leaving the room he came after me and half whispered mind nothing must be said of this if our young lover should turn up unexpected as before no word to him it would at once frighten him and in jealousy him too there must be none so when i came back he looked at me carefully and said you are not much the worse go into the room and lie on your sofa and rest awhile then have much breakfast and come to me i followed out his orders for i knew how right and wise they were i had done my part and now my next duty was to keep up my strength i felt very weak and in the weakness lost something of the amazement at what had occurred I fell asleep on the sofa, however, wondering over and over how Lucy had made such a retrograde

movement, and how she could have been drained of so much blood with no sign anywhere to show for it. I think I must have continued my wonder in my dreams. For sleeping and waking, my thoughts always came back to the little punchers in her throat, and the ragged, exhausted appearance of their edges, tiny though they were.

Lucy slept well into the day. when she woke she was fairly well and strong though not nearly so much so as the day before when van helsing had seen her he went out for a walk leaving me in charge with the strict injunctions that i was not to leave her for a moment i can hear his voice in the hall asking of the way to the nearest telegraph office lucy chatted with me freely and seemed quite unconscious that anything had happened i tried to keep her amused and interested when her mother came to see her she did not seem to notice any change whatever but said to me gratefully we owe you so much dr seward for all you have done but you really must now take care not to overwork yourself you are looking pale yourself you want a wife to nurse and look after you a bit that you do as she spoke lucy turned crimson though it was only momentarily for her poor wasted veins could not stand for long such an unwonted drain to the head

the reaction came in excessive pallor as she turned her imploring eyes upon me i smiled and nodded and laid my finger on my lips with a sigh she sank back amid her pillows van helsing returned in a couple of hours and presently said to me now you go home and eat much and drink enough make yourself strong i stay here to-night i shall sit up with little miss myself you and i must watch the case and we must have none other to know i have grave reasons do not ask them think what you will do not fear to think even the most not probable good-night in the hall two of the maids came to me and asked if they or either of them might not sit up with miss lucy they implored me to let them and when i said it was dr van helsing's wish that neither he nor i should sit up they asked me quite piteously to intercede with the foreign gentleman i was much touched by their kindness perhaps it is because i am weak at present and perhaps it was on lucy's account that their devotion was manifested over and over again

i have seen similar instances of women's kindness i got back here in time for a late dinner went my rounds all well and set this down whilst waiting for sleep it is coming the eleventh of september this afternoon i went over to hillingham found van helsing in excellent spirits and lucy much better shortly after i had arrived a big parcel from aboard came from the professor he opened it with much impressment assumed of course and showed a great bundle of white flowers these are for you miss lucy for me oh dr van helsing yes my dear but not for you to play with these are medicines here lucy made a wry face nay but sure they are not to take in a decoction or in nauseous form so you need not snub that so charming nose i shall point out to my friend arthur what woes he may have to endear in seeing so much beauty that he so loves so much distort ah my pretty miss

that i bring you the so nice nose all straight again this is medicinal but you do not know how i put him in your window and make a pretty wreath and hang him round your neck so that you sleep well oh yes it's like the lotus flower make your trouble forgotten it smells so like the waters of leaf and of that fountain of youth that the conquistadors sought for in the floridas and find him all too late while he was speaking lucy had been examining the flowers and smelling them now she threw them down saying with half-laughter and half disgust old professor i believe you are only putting up a joke on me why these flowers are only common garlic to my surprise van helsing rose up and said with all his sternness his iron jaw set and his bushy eyebrows meeting no trifling with me i never jest there is a grim purpose in all i do and i warn you that you do not thwart me take care for the sake of others if not your own then seeing poor lucy scared as she might well be he went on more gently

oh little miss my dear do not fear me i only do for your good but there is much virtue to you in those so common flowers see i place them myself in your room i make myself the wreath that you are to wear but hush no telling to others what makes so inquisitive questions you must obey and silence is a part of obedience and obedience is to bring you strong and well into loving arms that wait for you now sit still a while come with me friend john and you shall help me deck the room with my garlic which is all the way from harem where my friend vanderpoel raised herb in his glass houses all the year i had to telegraph yesterday or there would not have been in it We went into the room, taking the flowers with us. The professor's actions were certainly odd,

and not to be found in any pharmacopoeia that I had ever heard of. First he fastened up the windows and latched them securely. Next, taking a handful of the flowers, he rubbed them all over the sashes, as though to ensure that every whiff of air that might get in would be laden with the garlic smell. Then, with the wisp, he rubbed all over the jam of the door, above, below,

and each side, and rounded the fireplace to do the same way. It all seemed grotesque to me, and presently I said, Well, Professor, I know you always have a reason for what you do, but this certainly puzzles me. It is well we have no sceptic here, or you would say you were working some spell to keep out an evil spirit. Perhaps I am, he answered quietly as he began to make the wreath which Lucy

was to wear around her neck. We then waited whilst Lucy made her toilet for the night, and when she was in bed he came back to himself, fixed a wreath of garlic around her neck. The last words he said to her were,

Take care that you do not disturb it, and even if the room feel close, do not tonight open the window or the door. I promise, said Lucy, and thank you both a thousand times for all your kindness to me.

and what have I done to be blessed by such friends? As we left the house in my fly which was waiting Van Helsing said tonight I can sleep in peace and sleep I want. Two nights of travel much reading in the day between much anxiety on the day to follow and a night to sit up without to wink. Tomorrow in the morning early you call for me and we come together to see our pretty miss. So much more strong from my spell which I have work. He seemed so confident that I, remembering my own confidence

two nights before, and with the baneful result, felt awe and vague terror. It must have been my weakness that made me hesitate to tell it to my friend, but I felt it all the more, like unshed tears. End of chapter 10