Дракула

           Onelesson,too,wehavelearned,ifitbeallowabletoargueaparticulari,thatthebrutebeastswhicharetotheCount’scommandareyetthemselvesnotamenabletohisspiritualpower,forlook,theseratsthatwouldcometohiscall,justasfromhiscastletophesummonthewolvestoyourgoingandtothatpoormother’scry,thoughtheycometohim,theyrunpell-mellfromthesolittledogsofmyfriendArthur. Wehaveothermattersbeforeus,otherdangers,otherfears,andthatmonster...Hehasnotusedhispoweroverthebruteworldfortheonlyorthelasttimetonight. Sobeitthathehasgoneelsewhere. Good! Ithasgivenusopportunitytocry‘check’insomewaysinthischessgame,whichweplayforthestakeofhumansouls. Andnowletusgohome. Thedawniscloseathand,andwehavereasontobecontentwithourfirstnight’swork. Itmaybeordainedthatwehavemanynightsanddaystofollow,iffullofperil,butwemustgoon,andfromnodangershallweshrink." 

           Thehousewassilentwhenwegotback,saveforsomepoorcreaturewhowasscreamingawayinoneofthedistantwards,andalow,moaningsoundfromRenfield’sroom. Thepoorwretchwasdoubtlesstorturinghimself,afterthemanneroftheinsane,withneedlessthoughtsofpain. 

           Icametiptoeintoourownroom,andfoundMinaasleep,breathingsosoftlythatIhadtoputmyeardowntohearit. Shelookspalerthanusual. Ihopethemeetingtonighthasnotupsether. Iamtrulythankfulthatsheistobeleftoutofourfuturework,andevenofourdeliberations.