DR. SEWARD’S DIARY

13 September.—­Called at the Berkeley and found Van Helsing, as usual, up to time.  The carriage ordered from the hotel was waiting.  The Professor took his bag, which he always brings with him now.

Let all be put down exactly.  Van Helsing and I arrived at Hillingham at eight o’clock.  It was a lovely morning.  The bright sunshine and all the fresh feeling of early autumn seemed like the completion of nature’s annual work.  The leaves were turning to all kinds of beautiful colours, but had not yet begun to drop from the trees.  When we entered we met Mrs. Westenra coming out of the morning room.  She is always an early riser.  She greeted us warmly and said,

“You will be glad to know that Lucy is better.  The dear child is still asleep.  I looked into her room and saw her, but did not go in, lest I should disturb her.”  The Professor smiled, and looked quite jubilant.  He rubbed his hands together, and said, “Aha!  I thought I had diagnosed the case.  My treatment is working.”

To which she replied, “You must not take all the credit to yourself, doctor.  Lucy’s state this morning is due in part to me.”

“How do you mean, ma’am?” asked the Professor.

“Well, I was anxious about the dear child in the night, and went into her room.  She was sleeping soundly, so soundly that even my coming did not wake her.  But the room was awfully stuffy.  There were a lot of those horrible, strong-smelling flowers about everywhere, and she had actually a bunch of them round her neck.  I feared that the heavy odour would be too much for the dear child in her weak state, so I took them all away and opened a bit of the window to let in a little fresh air.  You will be pleased with her, I am sure.”

She moved off into her boudoir, where she usually breakfasted early.  As she had spoken, I watched the Professor’s face, and saw it turn ashen gray.  He had been able to retain his self-command whilst the poor lady was present, for he knew her state and how mischievous a shock would be.  He actually smiled on her as he held open the door for her to pass into her room.  But the instant she had disappeared he pulled me, suddenly and forcibly, into the dining room and closed the door.

Then, for the first time in my life, I saw Van Helsing break down.  He raised his hands over his head in a sort of mute despair, and then beat his palms together in a helpless way.  Finally he sat down on a chair, and putting his hands before his face, began to sob, with loud, dry sobs that seemed to come from the very racking of his heart.

Then he raised his arms again, as though appealing to the whole universe.  “God!  God!  God!” he said.  “What have we done, what has this poor thing done, that we are so sore beset?  Is there fate amongst us still, send down from the pagan world of old, that such things must be, and in such way?  This poor mother, all unknowing, and all for the best as she think, does such thing as lose her daughter body and soul, and we must not tell her, we must not even warn her, or she die, then both die.  Oh, how we are beset!  How are all the powers of the devils against us!”