13 September.—Called at the Berkeley and
found Van Helsing, as usual, up to time. The
carriage ordered from the hotel was waiting.
The Professor took his bag, which he always brings
with him now.
Let all be put down exactly. Van Helsing and
I arrived at Hillingham at eight o’clock.
It was a lovely morning. The bright sunshine
and all the fresh feeling of early autumn seemed like
the completion of nature’s annual work.
The leaves were turning to all kinds of beautiful
colours, but had not yet begun to drop from the trees.
When we entered we met Mrs. Westenra coming out of
the morning room. She is always an early riser.
She greeted us warmly and said,
“You will be glad to know that Lucy is better.
The dear child is still asleep. I looked into
her room and saw her, but did not go in, lest I should
disturb her.” The Professor smiled, and
looked quite jubilant. He rubbed his hands together,
and said, “Aha! I thought I had diagnosed
the case. My treatment is working.”
To which she replied, “You must not take all
the credit to yourself, doctor. Lucy’s
state this morning is due in part to me.”
“How do you mean, ma’am?” asked
the Professor.
“Well, I was anxious about the dear child in
the night, and went into her room. She was sleeping
soundly, so soundly that even my coming did not wake
her. But the room was awfully stuffy. There
were a lot of those horrible, strong-smelling flowers
about everywhere, and she had actually a bunch of
them round her neck. I feared that the heavy
odour would be too much for the dear child in her weak
state, so I took them all away and opened a bit of
the window to let in a little fresh air. You
will be pleased with her, I am sure.”
She moved off into her boudoir, where she usually
breakfasted early. As she had spoken, I watched
the Professor’s face, and saw it turn ashen
gray. He had been able to retain his self-command
whilst the poor lady was present, for he knew her
state and how mischievous a shock would be.
He actually smiled on her as he held open the door
for her to pass into her room. But the instant
she had disappeared he pulled me, suddenly and forcibly,
into the dining room and closed the door.
Then, for the first time in my life, I saw Van Helsing
break down. He raised his hands over his head
in a sort of mute despair, and then beat his palms
together in a helpless way. Finally he sat down
on a chair, and putting his hands before his face,
began to sob, with loud, dry sobs that seemed to come
from the very racking of his heart.
Then he raised his arms again, as though appealing
to the whole universe. “God! God!
God!” he said. “What have we done,
what has this poor thing done, that we are so sore
beset? Is there fate amongst us still, send
down from the pagan world of old, that such things
must be, and in such way? This poor mother, all
unknowing, and all for the best as she think, does
such thing as lose her daughter body and soul, and
we must not tell her, we must not even warn her, or
she die, then both die. Oh, how we are beset!
How are all the powers of the devils against us!”
