Alas! How can I disbelieve! In the midst
of my thought my eye fell on the red scar on my poor
darling’s white forehead. Whilst that
lasts, there can be no disbelief. Mina and I
fear to be idle, so we have been over all the diaries
again and again. Somehow, although the reality
seem greater each time, the pain and the fear seem
less. There is something of a guiding purpose
manifest throughout, which is comforting. Mina
says that perhaps we are the instruments of ultimate
good. It may be! I shall try to think as
she does. We have never spoken to each other
yet of the future. It is better to wait till
we see the Professor and the others after their investigations.
The day is running by more quickly than I ever thought
a day could run for me again. It is now three
o’clock.
5 October, 5 P.M.—Our meeting for report.
Present: Professor Van Helsing, Lord Godalming,
Dr. Seward, Mr. Quincey Morris, Jonathan Harker, Mina
Harker.
Dr. Van Helsing described what steps were taken during
the day to discover on what boat and whither bound
Count Dracula made his escape.
“As I knew that he wanted to get back to Transylvania,
I felt sure that he must go by the Danube mouth, or
by somewhere in the Black Sea, since by that way he
come. It was a dreary blank that was before us.
Omme ignotum pro magnifico, and so with heavy hearts
we start to find what ships leave for the Black Sea
last night. He was in sailing ship, since Madam
Mina tell of sails being set. These not so important
as to go in your list of the shipping in the Times,
and so we go, by suggestion of Lord Godalming, to
your Lloyd’s, where are note of all ships that
sail, however so small. There we find that only
one Black Sea bound ship go out with the tide.
She is the Czarina Catherine, and she sail from Doolittle’s
Wharf for Varna, and thence to other ports and up
the Danube. ‘So!’ said I, ’this
is the ship whereon is the Count.’ So
off we go to Doolittle’s Wharf, and there we
find a man in an office. From him we inquire
of the goings of the Czarina Catherine. He swear
much, and he red face and loud of voice, but he good
fellow all the same. And when Quincey give him
something from his pocket which crackle as he roll
it up, and put it in a so small bag which he have
hid deep in his clothing, he still better fellow and
humble servant to us. He come with us, and ask
many men who are rough and hot. These be better
fellows too when they have been no more thirsty.
They say much of blood and bloom, and of others which
I comprehend not, though I guess what they mean.
But nevertheless they tell us all things which we
want to know.
