things of the night like him, without heart or conscience, preying on the bodies and the souls of those we love best.  To us forever are the gates of heaven shut, for who shall open them to us again?  We go on for all time abhorred by all, a blot on the face of God’s sunshine, an arrow in the side of Him who died for man.  But we are face to face with duty, and in such case must we shrink?  For me, I say no, but then I am old, and life, with his sunshine, his fair places, his song of birds, his music and his love, lie far behind.  You others are young.  Some have seen sorrow, but there are fair days yet in store.  What say you?”

Whilst he was speaking, Jonathan had taken my hand.  I feared, oh so much, that the appalling nature of our danger was overcoming him when I saw his hand stretch out, but it was life to me to feel its touch, so strong, so self reliant, so resolute.  A brave man’s hand can speak for itself, it does not even need a woman’s love to hear its music.

When the Professor had done speaking my husband looked in my eyes, and I in his, there was no need for speaking between us.

“I answer for Mina and myself,” he said.

“Count me in, Professor,” said Mr. Quincey Morris, laconically as usual.

“I am with you,” said Lord Godalming, “for Lucy’s sake, if for no other reason.”

Dr. Seward simply nodded.

The Professor stood up and, after laying his golden crucifix on the table, held out his hand on either side.  I took his right hand, and Lord Godalming his left, Jonathan held my right with his left and stretched across to Mr. Morris.  So as we all took hands our solemn compact was made.  I felt my heart icy cold, but it did not even occur to me to draw back.  We resumed our places, and Dr. Van Helsing went on with a sort of cheerfulness which showed that the serious work had begun.  It was to be taken as gravely, and in as businesslike a way, as any other transaction of life.

“Well, you know what we have to contend against, but we too, are not without strength.  We have on our side power of combination, a power denied to the vampire kind, we have sources of science, we are free to act and think, and the hours of the day and the night are ours equally.  In fact, so far as our powers extend, they are unfettered, and we are free to use them.  We have self devotion in a cause and an end to achieve which is not a selfish one.  These things are much.

“Now let us see how far the general powers arrayed against us are restrict, and how the individual cannot.  In fine, let us consider the limitations of the vampire in general, and of this one in particular.