“She complains of difficulty breathing satisfactorily
at times, and of heavy, lethargic sleep, with dreams
that frighten her, but regarding which she can remember
nothing. She says that as a child, she used
to walk in her sleep, and that when in Whitby the habit
came back, and that once she walked out in the night
and went to East Cliff, where Miss Murray found her.
But she assures me that of late the habit has not
returned.
“I am in doubt, and so have done the best thing
I know of. I have written to my old friend and
master, Professor Van Helsing, of Amsterdam, who knows
as much about obscure diseases as any one in the world.
I have asked him to come over, and as you told me
that all things were to be at your charge, I have
mentioned to him who you are and your relations to
Miss Westenra. This, my dear fellow, is in obedience
to your wishes, for I am only too proud and happy to
do anything I can for her.
“Van Helsing would, I know, do anything for
me for a personal reason, so no matter on what ground
he comes, we must accept his wishes. He is a
seemingly arbitrary man, this is because he knows
what he is talking about better than any one else.
He is a philosopher and a metaphysician, and one
of the most advanced scientists of his day, and he
has, I believe, an absolutely open mind. This,
with an iron nerve, a temper of the ice-brook, and
indomitable resolution, self-command, and toleration
exalted from virtues to blessings, and the kindliest
and truest heart that beats, these form his equipment
for the noble work that he is doing for mankind, work
both in theory and practice, for his views are as wide
as his all-embracing sympathy. I tell you these
facts that you may know why I have such confidence
in him. I have asked him to come at once.
I shall see Miss Westenra tomorrow again. She
is to meet me at the Stores, so that I may not alarm
her mother by too early a repetition of my call.
“Yours always.”
John Seward
2 September.
“My good Friend,
“When I received your letter I am already coming
to you. By good fortune I can leave just at
once, without wrong to any of those who have trusted
me. Were fortune other, then it were bad for
those who have trusted, for I come to my friend when
he call me to aid those he holds dear. Tell
your friend that when that time you suck from my wound
so swiftly the poison of the gangrene from that knife
that our other friend, too nervous, let slip, you
did more for him when he wants my aids and you call
for them than all his great fortune could do.
But it is pleasure added to do for him, your friend,
it is to you that I come. Have near at hand,
and please it so arrange that we may see the young
lady not too late on tomorrow, for it is likely that
I may have to return here that night. But if
need be I shall come again in three days, and stay
longer if it must. Till then goodbye, my friend
John.
