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• Wednesday, February 3, 2010 - For it won't do to leave MrsHarker alone after...
| For it won't do to leave MrsHarker alone after sunset
"He will be here before long now," said Van Helsing, who had been consulting his pocketbook"Nota bene, in Madam's telegram he went south from CarfaxThat means he went to cross the river, and he could only do so at slack of tide, which should be something before one o'clockThat he went south has a meaning for usHe is as yet only suspicious, and he went from Carfax first to the place where he would suspect interference leastYou must have been at Bermondsey only a short time before himThat he is not here already shows that he went to Mile End nextThis took him some time, for he would then have to be carried over the river in some wayBelieve me, my friends, we shall not have long to wait nowWe should have ready some plan of attack, so that we may throw away no chanceHush, there is no time nowHave all your arms! Be ready!" He held up a warning hand as he spoke, for we all could hear a key softly inserted in the lock of the hall door
I could not but admire, even at such a moment, the way in which a dominant spirit asserted itselfIn all our hunting parties and adventures in different parts of the world, Quincey Morris had always been the one to arrange the plan of action, and Arthur and I had been accustomed to obey him implicitlyNow, the old habit seemed to be renewed instinctivelyWith a swift glance around the room, he at once laid out our plan of attack, and without speaking a word, with a gesture, placed us each in positionVan Helsing, Harker, and I were just behind the door, so that when it was opened the Professor could guard it whilst we two stepped between the incomer and the doorGodalming behind and Quincey in front stood just out of sight ready to move in front of the windowWe waited in a suspense that made the seconds pass with nightmare slownessThe slow, careful steps came along the hallThe Count was evidently prepared for some surprise, at least he feared it
Suddenly with a single bound he leaped into the roomWinning a way past us before any of us could raise a hand to stay himThere was something so pantherlike in the movement, something so unhuman, that it seemed to sober us all from the shock of his comingThe first to act was Harker, who with a quick movement, threw himself before the door leading into the room in the front of the houseAs the Count saw us, a horrible sort of snarl passed over his face, showing the eyeteeth long and pointedBut the evil smile as quickly passed into a cold stare of lion-like disdainHis expression again changed as, with a single impulse, we all advanced upon himIt was a pity that we had not some better organized plan of attack, for even at the moment I wondered what we were to doI did not myself know whether our lethal weapons would avail us anything
Harker evidently meant to try the matter, for he had ready his great Kukri knife and made a fierce and sudden cut at himThe blow was a powerful one; only the diabolical quickness of the Count's leap back saved himA second less and the trenchant blade had shorn through his heartAs it was, the point just cut the cloth of his coat, making a wide gap whence a bundle of bank notes and a stream of gold fell outThe expression of the Count's face was so hellish, that for a moment I feared for Harker, though I saw him throw the terrible knife aloft again for another strokeInstinctively I moved forward with a protective impulse, holding the Crucifix and Wafer in my left handI felt a mighty power fly along my arm, and it was without surprise that I saw the monster cower back before a similar movement made spontaneously by each one of usIt would be impossible to describe the expression of hate and baffled malignity, of anger and hellish rage, which came over the Count's shop face |
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