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the throat had absolutely disappeared.

For fully five minutes Van Helsing stood looking at her, with his face
at its sternest.  Then he turned to me and said calmly, "She is
dying.  It will not be long now.  It will be much difference, mark me,
whether she dies conscious or in her sleep.  Wake that poor boy, and
let him come and see the last.  He trusts us, and we have promised
him."

I went to the dining room and waked him.  He was dazed for a moment,
but when he saw the sunlight streaming in through the edges of the
shutters he thought he was late, and expressed his fear.  I assured
him that Lucy was still asleep, but told him as gently as I could that
both Van Helsing and I feared that the end was near.  He covered his
face with his hands, and slid down on his knees by the sofa, where he
remained, perhaps a minute, with his head buried, praying, whilst his
shoulders shook with grief.  I took him by the hand and raised him up.
"Come," I said, "my dear old fellow, summon all your fortitude.  It
will be best and easiest for her."

When we came into Lucy's room I could see that Van Helsing had, with

t/dracula.DOS.txt  view on Meta::CPAN

says he is hardly equal to the task, and he wants an exact record
kept.

I think that none of us were surprised when we were asked to see Mrs.
Harker a little before the time of sunset.  We have of late come to
understand that sunrise and sunset are to her times of peculiar
freedom.  When her old self can be manifest without any controlling
force subduing or restraining her, or inciting her to action.  This
mood or condition begins some half hour or more before actual sunrise
or sunset, and lasts till either the sun is high, or whilst the clouds
are still aglow with the rays streaming above the horizon.  At first
there is a sort of negative condition, as if some tie were loosened,
and then the absolute freedom quickly follows.  When, however, the
freedom ceases the change back or relapse comes quickly, preceded
only by a spell of warning silence.

Tonight, when we met, she was somewhat constrained, and bore all the
signs of an internal struggle.  I put it down myself to her making a
violent effort at the earliest instant she could do so.

A very few minutes, however, gave her complete control of herself.