When he arrived it was nearly six o’clock, and
the sun was setting full and warm, and the red light
streamed in through the window and gave more colour
to the pale cheeks. When he saw her, Arthur was
simply choking with emotion, and none of us could speak.
In the hours that had passed, the fits of sleep,
or the comatose condition that passed for it, had
grown more frequent, so that the pauses when conversation
was possible were shortened. Arthur’s presence,
however, seemed to act as a stimulant. She rallied
a little, and spoke to him more brightly than she
had done since we arrived. He too pulled himself
together, and spoke as cheerily as he could, so that
the best was made of everything.
It is now nearly one o’clock, and he and Van
Helsing are sitting with her. I am to relieve
them in a quarter of an hour, and I am entering this
on Lucy’s phonograph. Until six o’clock
they are to try to rest. I fear that tomorrow
will end our watching, for the shock has been too
great. The poor child cannot rally. God
help us all.
LETTER MINA HARKER TO LUCY WESTENRA
(Unopened by her)
17 September
My dearest Lucy,
“It seems an age since I heard from you, or
indeed since I wrote. You will pardon me, I
know, for all my faults when you have read all my
budget of news. Well, I got my husband back
all right. When we arrived at Exeter there was
a carriage waiting for us, and in it, though he had
an attack of gout, Mr. Hawkins. He took us to
his house, where there were rooms for us all nice
and comfortable, and we dined together. After
dinner Mr. Hawkins said,
“’My dears, I want to drink your health
and prosperity, and may every blessing attend you
both. I know you both from children, and have,
with love and pride, seen you grow up. Now I
want you to make your home here with me. I have
left to me neither chick nor child. All are
gone, and in my will I have left you everything.’
I cried, Lucy dear, as Jonathan and the old man clasped
hands. Our evening was a very, very happy one.
“So here we are, installed in this beautiful
old house, and from both my bedroom and the drawing
room I can see the great elms of the cathedral close,
with their great black stems standing out against
the old yellow stone of the cathedral, and I can hear
the rooks overhead cawing and cawing and chattering
and chattering and gossiping all day, after the manner
of rooks—and humans. I am busy, I
need not tell you, arranging things and housekeeping.
Jonathan and Mr. Hawkins are busy all day, for now
that Jonathan is a partner, Mr. Hawkins wants to tell
him all about the clients.
