Jonathan Harker's Journal15 October, Varna We left
Charing Cross on the morning of the 12th, got to Paris the same night, and took
the places secured for us in the Orient Express. We traveled night and day, arriving
here at about five o'clock. Lord Godalming went to the Consulate to see if any
telegram had arrived for him, whilst the rest of us came on to this hotel, "the
Odessus." The journey may have had incidents. I was, however, too eager to
get on, to care for them. Until the Czarina Catherine comes into port there will
be no interest for me in anything in the wide world. Thank God! Mina is well,
and looks to be getting stronger. Her colour is coming back. She sleeps a great
deal. Throughout the journey she slept nearly all the time. Before sunrise and
sunset, however, she is very wakeful and alert. And it has become a habit for
Van Helsing to hypnotize her at such times. At first, some effort was needed,
and he had to make many passes. But now, she seems to yield at once, as if by
habit, and scarcely any action is needed. He seems to have power at these particular
moments to simply will, and her thoughts obey him. He always asks her what she
can see and hear. She answers to the first, "Nothing, all is dark." And
to the second, "I can hear the waves lapping against the ship, and the water
rushing by. Canvas and cordage strain and masts and yards creak. The wind is high
. . . I can hear it in the shrouds, and the bow throws back the foam." It
is evident that the Czarina Catherine is still at sea, hastening on her way to
Varna. Lord Godalming has just returned. He had four telegrams, one each day since
we started, and all to the same effect. That the Czarina Catherine had not been
reported to Lloyd's from anywhere. He had arranged before leaving London that
his agent should send him every day a telegram saying if the ship had been reported.
He was to have a message even if she were not reported, so that he might be sure
that there was a watch being kept at the other end of the wire. We had dinner
and went to bed early. Tomorrow we are to see the Vice Consul, and to arrange,
if we can, about getting on board the ship as soon as she arrives. Van Helsing
says that our chance will be to get on the boat between sunrise and sunset. The
Count, even if he takes the form of a bat, cannot cross the running water of his
own volition, and so cannot leave the ship. As he dare not change to man's form
without suspicion, which he evidently wishes to avoid, he must remain in the box.
If, then, we can come on board after sunrise, he is at our mercy, for we can open
the box and make sure of him, as we did of poor Lucy, before he wakes. What mercy
he shall get from us all will not count for much. We think that we shall not have
much trouble with officials or the seamen. Thank God! This is the country where
bribery can do anything, and we are well supplied with money. We have only to
make sure that the ship cannot come into port between sunset and sunrise without
our being warned, and we shall be safe. Judge Moneybag will settle this case,
I think! |
