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worst.  I began to fear, horrible fears.  But then came to me the
sense of safety in that ring wherein I stood.  I began too, to
think that my imaginings were of the night, and the gloom, and
the unrest that I have gone through, and all the terrible
anxiety.  It was as though my memories of all Jonathan's horrid
experience were befooling me.  For the snow flakes and the mist
began to wheel and circle round, till I could get as though a
shadowy glimpse of those women that would have kissed him.  And
then the horses cowered lower and lower, and moaned in terror as
men do in pain.  Even the madness of fright was not to them, so
that they could break away.  I feared for my dear Madam Mina when
these weird figures drew near and circled round.  I looked at her,
but she sat calm, and smiled at me.  When I would have stepped to
the fire to replenish it, she caught me and held me back, and
whispered, like a voice that one hears in a dream, so low it was.

"No!  No!  Do not go without.  Here you are safe!"

I turned to her, and looking in her eyes said, "But you?
It is for you that I fear!"

Whereat she laughed, a laugh low and unreal, and said, "Fear
for me!  Why fear for me?  None safer in all the world from
them than I am," and as I wondered at the meaning of her
words, a puff of wind made the flame leap up, and I see the
red scar on her forehead.  Then, alas!  I knew.  Did I not,
I would soon have learned, for the wheeling figures of mist
and snow came closer, but keeping ever without the Holy
circle.  Then they began to materialize till, if God have
not taken away my reason, for I saw it through my eyes.
There were before me in actual flesh the same three women
that Jonathan saw in the room, when they would have kissed
his throat.  I knew the swaying round forms, the bright
hard eyes, the white teeth, the ruddy colour, the voluptuous
lips.  They smiled ever at poor dear Madam Mina.  And as
their laugh came through the silence of the night, they
twined their arms and pointed to her, and said in those so
sweet tingling tones that Jonathan said were of the intolerable
sweetness of the water glasses, "Come, sister.  Come to us.
Come!"

In fear I turned to my poor Madam Mina, and my heart with
gladness leapt like flame.  For oh! the terror in her sweet
eyes, the repulsion, the horror, told a story to my heart
that was all of hope.  God be thanked she was not, yet, of
them.  I seized some of the firewood which was by me, and
holding out some of the Wafer, advanced on them towards the
fire.  They drew back before me, and laughed their low horrid
laugh.  I fed the fire, and feared them not.  For I knew that we
were safe within the ring, which she could not leave no more than
they could enter.  The horses had ceased to moan, and lay still
on the ground.  The snow fell on them softly, and they grew
whiter.  I knew that there was for the poor beasts no more of
terror.

And so we remained till the red of the dawn began to fall
through the snow gloom.  I was desolate and afraid, and
full of woe and terror.  But when that beautiful sun began
to climb the horizon life was to me again.  At the first
coming of the dawn the horrid figures melted in the whirling
mist and snow.  The wreaths of transparent gloom moved away
towards the castle, and were lost.

Instinctively, with the dawn coming, I turned to Madam Mina,
intending to hypnotize her.  But she lay in a deep and sudden
sleep, from which I could not wake her.  I tried to hypnotize
through her sleep, but she made no response, none at all, and the
day broke.  I fear yet to stir.  I have made my fire and have
seen the horses, they are all dead.  Today I have much to do here,
and I keep waiting till the sun is up high.  For there may be
places where I must go, where that sunlight, though snow and mist
obscure it, will be to me a safety.

I will strengthen me with breakfast, and then I will do my
terrible work.  Madam Mina still sleeps, and God be thanked!  She
is calm in her sleep . . .



JONATHAN HARKER'S JOURNAL

4 November, evening.--The accident to the launch has been a terrible
thing for us.  Only for it we should have overtaken the boat long ago,
and by now my dear Mina would have been free.  I fear to think of her,
off on the wolds near that horrid place.  We have got horses, and we
follow on the track.  I note this whilst Godalming is getting ready.
We have our arms.  The Szgany must look out if they mean to fight.  Oh,
if only Morris and Seward were with us.  We must only hope!  If I
write no more Goodby Mina!  God bless and keep you.



DR. SEWARD'S DIARY

5 November.--With the dawn we saw the body of Szgany before us dashing
away from the river with their leiter wagon.  They surrounded it in a
cluster, and hurried along as though beset.  The snow is falling
lightly and there is a strange excitement in the air.  It may be our
own feelings, but the depression is strange.  Far off I hear the
howling of wolves.  The snow brings them down from the mountains, and
there are dangers to all of us, and from all sides.  The horses are
nearly ready, and we are soon off.  We ride to death of some one.  God
alone knows who, or where, or what, or when, or how it may be . . .





DR. VAN HELSING'S MEMORANDUM

5 November, afternoon.--I am at least sane.  Thank God for
that mercy at all events, though the proving it has been
dreadful.  When I left Madam Mina sleeping within the Holy
circle, I took my way to the castle.  The blacksmith hammer
which I took in the carriage from Veresti was useful, though the
doors were all open I broke them off the rusty hinges, lest some
ill intent or ill chance should close them, so that being entered
I might not get out.  Jonathan's bitter experience served me
here.  By memory of his diary I found my way to the old chapel,
for I knew that here my work lay.  The air was oppressive.  It
seemed as if there was some sulphurous fume, which at times made