Dr. Seward’s Diary

           20September. —Onlyresolutionandhabitcanletmemakeanentrytonight. Iamtoomiserable,toolowspirited,toosickoftheworldandallinit,includinglifeitself,thatIwouldnotcareifIheardthismomenttheflappingofthewingsoftheangelofdeath. Andhehasbeenflappingthosegrimwingstosomepurposeoflate,Lucy’smotherandArthur’sfather,andnow...Letmegetonwithmywork. 

           IdulyrelievedVanHelsinginhiswatchoverLucy. WewantedArthurtogotorestalso,butherefusedatfirst. ItwasonlywhenItoldhimthatweshouldwanthimtohelpusduringtheday,andthatwemustnotallbreakdownforwantofrest,lestLucyshouldsuffer,thatheagreedtogo. 

           VanHelsingwasverykindtohim. "Come,mychild,"hesaid."Comewithme. Youaresickandweak,andhavehadmuchsorrowandmuchmentalpain,aswellasthattaxonyourstrengththatweknowof. Youmustnotbealone,fortobealoneistobefulloffearsandalarms. Cometothedrawingroom,wherethereisabigfire,andtherearetwosofas. Youshalllieonone,andIontheother,andoursympathywillbecomforttoeachother,eventhoughwedonotspeak,andevenifwesleep." 

           Arthurwentoffwithhim,castingbackalonginglookonLucy’sface,whichlayinherpillow,almostwhiterthanthelawn. Shelayquitestill,andIlookedaroundtheroomtoseethatallwasasitshouldbe. IcouldseethattheProfessorhadcarriedoutinthisroom,asintheother,hispurposeofusingthegarlic. Thewholeofthewindowsashesreekedwithit,androundLucy’sneck,overthesilkhandkerchiefwhichVanHelsingmadeherkeepon,wasaroughchapletofthesameodorousflowers.