Dracula Chapter 12

Seward's diary is the first document of the chapter. He races to Hillingham as soon as he gets the telegram, but there is no answer at the door and the house is locked. Van Helsing arrives, Seward explains the situation, and they break into the house. They bypass the drugged servants and find Lucy and her mother's body in Lucy's room. As she is still alive - barely - they wake the servants to prepare a bath while they revive her. The servants do as instructed, and also answer the door, where a man has arrived with a telegram from Arthur. Seward describes their battle as "a stand-up fight with death." Van Helsing responds with, "If that were all, I would stop here where we are now, and let her fade away into peace..." Chapter 12, pg. 163

They need another donor who is fit enough to supply blood for Lucy. The man who delivered the telegram volunteers; Seward immediately recognizes him as his old friend Quincey Morris. They read the telegram, which is a request for news about Lucy, and they perform yet another blood transfusion, with the American as the donor.

Topic Tracking: Sexuality 4
Topic Tracking: Friendship 8

Van Helsing finds the memorandum in Lucy's breast, shares it and replaces it; Seward begins to take care of Mrs. Westenra's death certificate in order to prevent an inquest that would disturb Lucy; Morris prepares a telegram for Arthur.

Morris figures out that the transfusion is not an isolated incident and demands information. He compares Arthur, who he saw after the first blood donation, to a mare he once had that had been bitten by a vampire bat. When Morris is told what Lucy has been through he is distraught and almost breaks down completely. He cannot understand where the missing blood has gone, and gladly volunteers his services in any way possible.

When Lucy wakes, she grieves for her mother, then falls back asleep and tears up the note while sleeping, as if in a trance.

They keep a vigil during the night, and send for Holmwood the next day. By this time, Lucy's teeth appear longer and sharper, and Lucy herself is in terrible condition. Arthur shows up, and, after an emotional reunion, they begin a twenty-four hour watch schedule. Seward fears this will only be until the next day.

Lucy receives a letter, which she never sees, from Mina Harker. She describes her new married life in Exeter. Jonathan is a partner, and his boss, Mr. Hawkins, has taken the couple into his beautiful house and treats them like his own. They are well, though Jonathan still occasionally cannot sleep.

A doctor under Seward writes to him regarding Renfield. The patient began harassing two workmen who were moving great wooden boxes from Carfax. He called them robbers and murderers from his window. He breaks out from his room and violently attacks the workers, saying he fights for his Master. The workers threaten a lawsuit, so Hennessey writes their names and addresses, as well as that of the shipping company for which they work.

Mina writes a second unread letter to Lucy, telling her that Mr. Hawkins has died. He has left them his great estate, and they are suddenly wealthy, though they miss the old man, whom they loved, and Jonathan is nervous about running the business, though Mina has faith in him.

Seward writes that on his watch he noticed a large bat flying outside of Lucy's window. When Van Helsing comes in to relieve him, the professor notices that the neck wounds are gone. He says she is dying, and sends for Arthur to come to the room.

Van Helsing keeps Holmwood from kissing Lucy at first, claiming that holding her hand would comfort her more. She undergoes a "strange change" and, in a soft, voluptuous voice, asks Arthur to kiss her.

Topic Tracking: Sexuality 5

Van Helsing intercedes, throwing Holmwood aside and crying out for their souls.

Topic Tracking: Religion/Religious Duty 7

Lucy, momentarily angry, transforms back into her old self, and thanks Van Helsing for his intervention, asking him to guard Arthur and give him peace.

She dies. When Seward reflects that she has finally met her peaceful end, Van Helsing corrects him. "Not so! Alas! Not so. It is only the beginning!" Chapter 12, pg. 178