Texterkennung

361
DR. SEWARD'S DIARY
Professor. He had evidently expected some such call, for
I found him dressed in his room. His door was ajar, so that
he could hear the opening of the door of our room. He
came at once, as he passed into the room, he asked Mina
if the others might come, too.
"No," she said quite simply, "it will not be necessary.
You can tell them just as well. I must go with you on your
journey."
Dr. Van Helsing was as startled as I was. After a mo-
ment's pause he asked :-
"But why?"
"You must take me with you. I am safer with you, and
you shall be safer, too."
"But why, dear Madam Mina? You know that your
safety is our solemnest duty. We go into danger, to which
you are, or may be, more liable than any of us from
from circumstances--things that have been." He paused,
embarrassed.
As she replied, she raised her finger and pointed to her
forehead:
"I know. That is why I must go. I can tell you now,
whilst the sun is coming up; I may not be able again. I
know that when the Count wills me I must go. I know that
if he tells me to come in secret, I must come by wile; by
any device to hoodwink—even Jonathan." God saw the
look that she turned on me as she spoke, and if there be
indeed a Recording Angel that look is noted to her ever-
lasting honour. I could only clasp her hand. I could not
speak; my emotion was too great for even the relief of
tears. She went on
"You men are brave and strong. You are strong in your
numbers, for you can defy that which would break down
the human endurance of one who had to guard alone. Be-
sides, I may be of service, since you can hypotise me and
so learn that which even I myself do not know." Dr. Van
Helsing said very gravely
"Madam Mina, you are, as always, most wise. You shall
with us come; and together we shall do that which we go
forth to achieve." When he had spoken, Mina's long spell
of silence made me look at her. She had fallen back on her

DR. SEWARD'S DIARY
Professor. He had evidently expected some such call, for
I found him dressed in his room. His door was ajar, so that
he could hear the opening of the door of our room. He
came at once, as he passed into the room, he asked Mina
if the others might come, too.
"No," she said quite simply, "it will not be necessary.
You can tell them just as well. I must go with you on your
journey."
Dr. Van Helsing was as startled as I was. After a mo-
ment's pause he asked :-
"But why?"
"You must take me with you. I am safer with you, and
you shall be safer, too."
"But why, dear Madam Mina? You know that your
safety is our solemnest duty. We go into danger, to which
you are, or may be, more liable than any of us from
from circumstances--things that have been." He paused,
embarrassed.
As she replied, she raised her finger and pointed to her
forehead:
"I know. That is why I must go. I can tell you now,
whilst the sun is coming up; I may not be able again. I
know that when the Count wills me I must go. I know that
if he tells me to come in secret, I must come by wile; by
any device to hoodwink—even Jonathan." God saw the
look that she turned on me as she spoke, and if there be
indeed a Recording Angel that look is noted to her ever-
lasting honour. I could only clasp her hand. I could not
speak; my emotion was too great for even the relief of
tears. She went on
"You men are brave and strong. You are strong in your
numbers, for you can defy that which would break down
the human endurance of one who had to guard alone. Be-
sides, I may be of service, since you can hypotise me and
so learn that which even I myself do not know." Dr. Van
Helsing said very gravely
"Madam Mina, you are, as always, most wise. You shall
with us come; and together we shall do that which we go
forth to achieve." When he had spoken, Mina's long spell
of silence made me look at her. She had fallen back on her

"No," she said quite simply, "it will not be necessary.
You can tell them just as well. I must go with you on your
journey."

simply

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