| We must keep her ignorant of our intent, and so she cannot tell what she know notThis is a painful task! Oh, so painful that it heartbreak me to think of it, but it must beWhen today we meet, I must tell her that for reason which we will not to speak she must not more be of our council, but be simply guarded by us
He wiped his forehead, which had broken out in profuse perspiration at the thought of the pain which he might have to inflict upon the poor soul already so torturedI knew that it would be some sort of comfort to him if I told him that I also had come to the same conclusionFor at any rate it would take away the pain of doubtI told him, and the effect was as I expected
It is now close to the time of our general gatheringVan Helsing has gone away to prepare for the meeting, and his painful part of itI really believe his purpose is to be able to pray alone-At the very outset of our meeting a great personal relief was experienced by both Van Helsing and myselfHarker had sent a message by her husband to say that she would not join us at present, as she thought it better that we should be free to discuss our movements without her presence to embarrass usThe Professor and I looked at each other for an instant, and somehow we both seemed relievedFor my own part, I thought that if MrsHarker realized the danger herself, it was much pain as well as much danger avertedUnder the circumstances we agreed, by a questioning look and answer, with finger on lip, to preserve silence in our suspicions, until we should have been able to confer alone againWe went at once into our Plan of Campaign
Van Helsing roughly put the facts before us first, "The Czarina Catherine left the Thames yesterday morningIt will take her at the quickest speed she has ever made at least three weeks to reach VarnaBut we can travel overland to the same place in three daysNow, if we allow for two days less for the ship's voyage, owing to such weather influences as we know that the Count can bring to bear, and if we allow a whole day and night for any delays which may occur to us, then we have a margin of nearly two weeks
"Thus, in order to be quite safe, we must leave here on 17th at latestThen we shall at any rate be in Varna a day before the ship arrives, and able to make such preparations as may be necessaryOf course we shall all go armed, armed against evil things, spiritual as well as physical
Here Quincey Morris added, "I understand that the Count comes from a wolf country, and it may be that he shall get there before usI propose that we add Winchesters to our armamentI have a kind of belief in a Winchester when there is any trouble of that sort aroundDo you remember, Art, when we had the pack after us at Tobolsk? What wouldn't we have given then for a repeater apiece!"
"Good!" said Van Helsing, "Winchesters it shall beQuincey's head is level at times, but most so when there is to hunt, metaphor be more dishonour to science than wolves be of danger to manIn the meantime we can do nothing hereAnd as I think that Varna is not familiar to any of us, why not go there more soon? It is as long to wait here as thereTonight and tomorrow we can get ready, and then if all be well, we four can set out on our journey
"We four?" said Harker interrogatively, looking from one to another of us
"Of course!" answered the Professor quickly"You must remain to take care of your so sweet wife!"
Harker was silent for awhile and then said in a hollow voice, "Let us talk of that part of it in the morningI want to consult with Mina
I thought that now was the time for Van Helsing to warn him not to disclose our plan to her, but he took no noticeI looked at him significantly and coughedFor answer he put his finger to his lips and turned away
JONATHAN HARKER'S JOURNAL
5 October, shop afternoon |