to prepare for the task.  He find in patience just how is his strength, and what are his powers.  He study new tongues.  He learn new social life, new environment of old ways, the politics, the law, the finance, the science, the habit of a new land and a new people who have come to be since he was.  His glimpse that he have had, whet his appetite only and enkeen his desire.  Nay, it help him to grow as to his brain.  For it all prove to him how right he was at the first in his surmises.  He have done this alone, all alone!  From a ruin tomb in a forgotten land.  What more may he not do when the greater world of thought is open to him.  He that can smile at death, as we know him.  Who can flourish in the midst of diseases that kill off whole peoples.  Oh!  If such an one was to come from God, and not the Devil, what a force for good might he not be in this old world of ours.  But we are pledged to set the world free.  Our toil must be in silence, and our efforts all in secret.  For in this enlightened age, when men believe not even what they see, the doubting of wise men would be his greatest strength.  It would be at once his sheath and his armor, and his weapons to destroy us, his enemies, who are willing to peril even our own souls for the safety of one we love.  For the good of mankind, and for the honour and glory of God.”

After a general discussion it was determined that for tonight nothing be definitely settled.  That we should all sleep on the facts, and try to think out the proper conclusions.  Tomorrow, at breakfast, we are to meet again, and after making our conclusions known to one another, we shall decide on some definite cause of action . . .

I feel a wonderful peace and rest tonight.  It is as if some haunting presence were removed from me.  Perhaps . . .

My surmise was not finished, could not be, for I caught sight in the mirror of the red mark upon my forehead, and I knew that I was still unclean.

DR. SEWARD’S DIARY

5 October.—­We all arose early, and I think that sleep did much for each and all of us.  When we met at early breakfast there was more general cheerfulness than any of us had ever expected to experience again.

It is really wonderful how much resilience there is in human nature.  Let any obstructing cause, no matter what, be removed in any way, even by death, and we fly back to first principles of hope and enjoyment.  More than once as we sat around the table, my eyes opened in wonder whether the whole of the past days had not been a dream.  It was only when I caught sight of the red blotch on Mrs. Harker’s forehead that I was brought back to reality.  Even now, when I am gravely revolving the matter, it is almost impossible to realize that the cause of all our trouble is still existent.  Even Mrs. Harker seems to lose sight of her trouble for whole spells.  It is only now and again, when something recalls it