Dr.
Seward's Diary19 July We are progressing. My friend [Renfield] has
now a whole colony of sparrows, and his flies and spiders are almost obliterated.
When I came in he ran to me and said he wanted to ask me a great favour, a very,
very great favour. And as he spoke, he fawned on me like a dog. I asked
him what it was, and he said, with a sort of rapture in his voice and bearing,
"A kitten, a nice, little, sleek playful kitten, that I can play with, and
teach, and feed, and feed, and feed!" I was not unprepared for this
request, for I had noticed how his pets went on increasing in size and vivacity,
but I did not care that his pretty family of tame sparrows should be wiped out
in the same manner as the flies and spiders. So I said I would see about it, and
asked him if he would not rather have a cat than a kitten. His eagerness
betrayed him as he answered, "Oh, yes, I would like a cat! I only asked for
a kitten lest you should refuse me a cat. No one would refuse me a kitten, would
they?" I shook my head, and said that at present I feared it would
not be possible, but that I would see about it. His face fell, and I could see
a warning of danger in it, for there was a sudden fierce, sidelong look which
meant killing. The man is an undeveloped homicidal maniac. I shall test him with
his present craving and see how it will work out, then I shall know more. |
