第44章

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 LETTER, ABRAHAM VAN HELSING, MD, DPh, D. LiT, ETC, ETC, TO DR. 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.

"Van Helsing."

LETTER, DR. SEWARD TO HON. ARTHUR HOLMWOOD

3 September "My dear Art, "Van Helsing has come and gone. He came on with me to Hillingham, and found that, by Lucy's discretion, her mother was lunching out, so that we were alone with her.

"Van Helsing made a very careful examination of the patient.

He is to report to me, and I shall advise you, for of course I was not present all the time. He is, I fear, much concerned, but says he must think. When I told him of our friendship and how you trust to me in the matter, he said, `You must tell him all you think.

Tell him him what I think, if you can guess it, if you will. Nay, I am not jesting. This is no jest, but life and death, perhaps more.'

I asked what he meant by that, for he was very serious.

This was when we had come back to town, and he was having a cup of tea before starting on his return to Amsterdam. He would not give me any further clue. You must not be angry with me, Art, because his very reticence means that all his brains are working for her good.

He will speak plainly enough when the time comes, be sure.

So I told him I would simply write an account of our visit, just as if I were doing a descriptive special article for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH.

He seemed not to notice, but remarked that the smuts of London were not quite so bad as they used to be when he was a student here.

I am to get his report tomorrow if he can possibly make it.

In any case I am to have a letter.

"Well, as to the visit, Lucy was more cheerful than on the day I first saw her, and certainly looked better.

She had lost something of the ghastly look that so upset you, and her breathing was normal. She was very sweet to the Professor (as she always is), and tried to make him feel at ease, though I could see the poor girl was making a hard struggle for it.

"I believe Van Helsing saw it, too, for I saw the quick look under his bushy brows that I knew of old. Then he began to chat of all things except ourselves and diseases and with such an infinite geniality that I could see poor Lucy's pretense of animation merge into reality.

Then, without any seeming change, he brought the conversation gently round to his visit, and sauvely said, "`My dear young miss, I have the so great pleasure because you are so much beloved. That is much, my dear, even were there that which I do not see. They told me you were down in the spirit, and that you were of a ghastly pale. To them I say "Pouf!" ' And he snapped his fingers at me and went on. `But you and I shall show them how wrong they are.

How can he', and he pointed at me with the same look and gesture as that with which he pointed me out in his class, on, or rather after, a particular occasion which he never fails to remind me of, `know anything of a young ladies? He has his madmen to play with, and to bring them back to happiness, and to those that love them.

It is much to do, and, oh, but there are rewards in that we can bestow such happiness. But the young ladies! He has no wife nor daughter, and the young do not tell themselves to the young, but to the old, like me, who have known so many sorrows and the causes of them.

So, my dear, we will send him away to smoke the cigarette in the garden, whiles you and I have little talk all to ourselves.'

I took the hint, and strolled about, and presently the professor came to the window and called me in. He looked grave, but said, ` I have made careful examination, but there is no functional cause.

With you I agree that there has been much blood lost, it has been but is not. But the conditions of her are in no way anemic.

I have asked her to send me her maid, that I may ask just one or two questions, that so I may not chance to miss nothing.

I know well what she will say. And yet there is cause.

There is always cause for everything. I must go back home and think.