Dracula. Bram Stoker

feet tramping and dying away in some passage which

      sent up a clanging echo. I turned to run down again towards

      the vault, where I might find the new entrance; but at the mo-

      ment there seemed to come a violent puff of wind, and the door

      to the winding stair blew to with a shock that set the dust from

      the lintels flying. When I ran to push it open, I found that it

      was hopelessly fast. I was again a prisoner, and the net of doom

      jvas closing round me more closely.

      As I write there is in the passage below a sound of many tramp-

      ing feet and the crash of weights being set down heavily, doubt-

      less the boxes, with their freight of earth. There is a sound of

      hammering; it is the box being nailed down. Now I can hear the

      heavy feet tramping again along the hall, with many other idle

      feet coming behind them.

      5O Dracula

      The door is shut, and the chains rattle; there is a grinding of

      the key in the lock; I can hear the key withdraw: then another

      door opens and shuts; I hear the creaking of lock and bolt.

      Hark! in the courtyard and down the rocky way the roll of

      heavy wheels, the crack of whips, and the chorus of the Szgany

      as they pass into the distance.

      I am alone in the castle with those awful women. Faugh! Mina

      is a woman, and there is nought in common. They are devils of

      the Pit!

      I shall not remain alone with them; I shall try to scale the

      castle wall farther than I have yet attempted. I shall take some

      of the gold with me, lest I want it later. I may find a way from

      this dreadful place.

      And then away for home! away to the quickest and nearest

      train! away from this cursed spot, from this cursed land, where

      the devil and his children still walk with earthly feet!

      At least God’s mercy is better than that of these monsters,

      and the precipice is steep and high. At its foot a man may sleep

      as a man. Good-bye, all! Mina!

      CHAPTER V

      Letter from Miss Mina Murray to Miss Lucy Westenra.

      «9 May.

      «My dearest Lucy,

      «Forgive my long delay in writing, but I have been simply

      overwhelmed with work. The life of an assistant schoolmistress

      is sometimes trying. I am longing to be with you, and by the

      sea, where we can talk together freely and build our castles in

      the air. I have been working very hard lately, because I want to

      keep up with Jonathan’s studies, and I have been practising

      shorthand very assiduously. When we are married I shall be

      able to be useful to Jonathan, and if I can stenograph well enough

      I can take down what he wants to say in this way and write it

      out for him on the typewriter, at which also I am practising very

      hard. He and I sometimes write letters in shorthand, and he is

      keeping a stenographic journal of his travels abroad. When I

      am with you I shall keep a diary in the same way. I don’t mean

      one of those two-pages-to-the-week-with-Sunday-squeezed-in-a-

      corner diaries, but a sort of journal which I can write in whenever

      I feel inclined. I do not suppose there will be much of interest

      to other people; but it is not intended for them. I may show it to

      Jonathan some day if there is in it anything worth sharing, but

      it is really an exercise book. I shall try to do what I see lady

      journalists do: interviewing and writing descriptions and trying

      to remember conversations. I am told that, with a little practice,

      one can remember all that goes on or that one hears said during

      a day. However, we shall see. I will tell you of my little plans

      when we meet. I have just had a few hurried lines from Jonathan

      from Transylvania. He is well, and will be returning in about a

      week. I am longing to hear all his news. It must be so nice to see

      strange countries. I wonder if we I mean Jonathan and I

      shall ever see them together. There is the ten o’clock bell ring-

      ing. Good-bye.

      «Your loving

      «MlNA.

      «Tell me all the news when you write. You have not told me

      anything for a long time. I hear rumours, and especially of a tall,

      handsome, curly-haired man???»

      32 Dracula

      Letter, Lucy Westenra to Mina Murray.

      «17, Chatham Street,

      «Wednesday.

      «My dearest Mina,

      «I must say you tax me very unfairly with being a bad corre-

      spondent. I wrote to you twice since we parted, and your last letter

      was only your second. Besides, I have nothing to tell you. There is

      really nothing to interest you. Town is very pleasant just now,

      and we go a good deal to picture-galleries and for walks and

      rides in the park. As to the tall, curly-haired man, I suppose it

      was the one who was with me at the last Pop. Some one has

      evidently been telling tales. That was Mr. Holmwood. He often

      comes to see us, and he and mamma get on very well together;

      they have so many things to talk about in common. We met some

      time ago a man that would just do for you, if you were not al-

      ready engaged to Jonathan. He is an excellent parti, being hand-

      some, well off, and of good birth. He is a doctor and really clever.

      Just fancy! He is only nine-and- twenty, and he has an immense

      lunatic asylum all under his own care. Mr. Holmwood introduced

      him to me, and he called here to see us, and often comes now. I

      think he is one of the most resolute men I ever saw, and yet the

      most calm. He seems absolutely imperturbable. I can fancy what

      a wonderful power he must have over his patients. He has a

      curious habit of looking one straight in the face, as if trying to

      read one’s thoughts. He tries this on very much with me, but I

      flatter