Reading Help DRACULA by Bram Stoker Ch.1-12
things and housekeeping. Jonathan and Mr. Hawkins are busy all `
` day, for now that Jonathan is a partner, Mr. Hawkins wants to `
` tell him all about the clients. `
` `
` "How is your dear mother getting on? I wish I could run up `
` to town for a day or two to see you, dear, but I dare not `
` go yet, with so much on my shoulders, and Jonathan wants `
` looking after still. He is beginning to put some flesh on `
` his bones again, but he was terribly weakened by the long `
` illness. Even now he sometimes starts out of his sleep in `
` a sudden way and awakes all trembling until I can coax him `
` back to his usual placidity. However, thank God, these `
` occasions grow less frequent as the days go on, and they `
` will in time pass away altogether, I trust. And now I have `
` told you my news, let me ask yours. When are you to be `
` married, and where, and who is to perform the ceremony, and `
` what are you to wear, and is it to be a public or private `
` wedding? Tell me all about it, dear, tell me all about `
` everything, for there is nothing which interests you which `
` will not be dear to me. Jonathan asks me to send his 'respectful `
` duty', but I do not think that is good enough from the junior `
` partner of the important firm Hawkins & Harker. And so, as you `
` love me, and he loves me, and I love you with all the moods and `
` tenses of the verb, I send you simply his 'love' instead. `
` Goodbye, my dearest Lucy, and blessings on you. `
` `
` "Yours, `
` `
` "Mina Harker" `
` `
` `
` `
` REPORT FROM PATRICK HENNESSEY, MD, MRCSLK, QCPI, ETC, ETC, `
` TO JOHN SEWARD, MD `
` `
` 20 September `
` `
` My dear Sir: `
` `
` "In accordance with your wishes, I enclose report of the `
` conditions of everything left in my charge. With regard to `
` patient, Renfield, there is more to say. He has had another `
` outbreak, which might have had a dreadful ending, but which, as `
` it fortunately happened, was unattended with any unhappy results. `
` This afternoon a carrier's cart with two men made a call at the `
` empty house whose grounds abut on ours, the house to which, you `
` will remember, the patient twice ran away. The men stopped at `
` our gate to ask the porter their way, as they were strangers. `
` `
` "I was myself looking out of the study window, having a `
` smoke after dinner, and saw one of them come up to the `
` house. As he passed the window of Renfield's room, the `
` patient began to rate him from within, and called him all `
` the foul names he could lay his tongue to. The man, who `
` seemed a decent fellow enough, contented himself by telling `
` him to 'shut up for a foul-mouthed beggar', whereon our man `
` accused him of robbing him and wanting to murder him and `
` said that he would hinder him if he were to swing for it. `
` I opened the window and signed to the man not to notice, so `
` he contented himself after looking the place over and making up `
` his mind as to what kind of place he had got to by saying, 'Lor' `
` bless yer, sir, I wouldn't mind what was said to me in a bloomin' `
` madhouse. I pity ye and the guv'nor for havin' to live in the `
` house with a wild beast like that.' `
` `
` "Then he asked his way civilly enough, and I told him where `
` the gate of the empty house was. He went away followed by `
` threats and curses and revilings from our man. I went down `
` to see if I could make out any cause for his anger, since `
` he is usually such a well-behaved man, and except his violent `
` fits nothing of the kind had ever occurred. I found him, to my `
` astonishment, quite composed and most genial in his manner. I `
` tried to get him to talk of the incident, but he blandly asked me `
` questions as to what I meant, and led me to believe that he was `
` completely oblivious of the affair. It was, I am sorry to say, `
` however, only another instance of his cunning, for within half an `
` hour I heard of him again. This time he had broken out through `
` the window of his room, and was running down the avenue. I `
` called to the attendants to follow me, and ran after him, for I `
` feared he was intent on some mischief. My fear was justified `
` when I saw the same cart which had passed before coming down the `
` road, having on it some great wooden boxes. The men were wiping `
` their foreheads, and were flushed in the face, as if with violent `
` exercise. Before I could get up to him, the patient rushed at `
` them, and pulling one of them off the cart, began to knock his `
` head against the ground. If I had not seized him just at the `
` moment, I believe he would have killed the man there and then. `
` The other fellow jumped down and struck him over the head with `
` the butt end of his heavy whip. It was a horrible blow, but he `
` did not seem to mind it, but seized him also, and struggled with `
` the three of us, pulling us to and fro as if we were kittens. `
` You know I am no lightweight, and the others were both burly men. `
` At first he was silent in his fighting, but as we began to master `
` him, and the attendants were putting a strait waistcoat on him, `
` he began to shout, 'I'll frustrate them! They shan't rob me! `
` They shan't murder me by inches! I'll fight for my Lord and `
` Master!' and all sorts of similar incoherent ravings. It was `
` with very considerable difficulty that they got him back to the `
` house and put him in the padded room. One of the attendants, `
` Hardy, had a finger broken. However, I set it all right, and he `
` is going on well. `
` `
` "The two carriers were at first loud in their threats of `
` actions for damages, and promised to rain all the penalties `
` of the law on us. Their threats were, however, mingled `
` with some sort of indirect apology for the defeat of the `
` two of them by a feeble madman. They said that if it had `
` not been for the way their strength had been spent in carrying `
` and raising the heavy boxes to the cart they would have made `
` short work of him. They gave as another reason for their defeat `
` the extraordinary state of drouth to which they had been reduced `
` by the dusty nature of their occupation and the reprehensible `
` distance from the scene of their labors of any place of public `
` entertainment. I quite understood their drift, and after a stiff `
` glass of strong grog, or rather more of the same, and with each a `
` sovereign in hand, they made light of the attack, and swore that `
` they would encounter a worse madman any day for the pleasure of `
` meeting so 'bloomin' good a bloke' as your correspondent. I took `
` their names and addresses, in case they might be needed. They `
` are as follows: Jack Smollet, of Dudding's Rents, King George's `
` Road, Great Walworth, and Thomas Snelling, Peter Farley's Row, `
` Guide Court, Bethnal Green. They are both in the employment of `
` Harris & Sons, Moving and Shipment Company, Orange Master's Yard, `
` Soho. `
` `
` "I shall report to you any matter of interest occurring here, and `
` shall wire you at once if there is anything of importance. `
` `
` "Believe me, dear Sir, `
` `
` "Yours faithfully, `
` `
` "Patrick Hennessey." `
` `
` `
` `
` LETTER, MINA HARKER TO LUCY WESTENRA (Unopened by her) `
` `
` 18 September `
` `
` "My dearest Lucy, `
` `
` "Such a sad blow has befallen us. Mr. Hawkins has died very `
` suddenly. Some may not think it so sad for us, but we had `
` both come to so love him that it really seems as though we `
` had lost a father. I never knew either father or mother, `
` so that the dear old man's death is a real blow to me. Jonathan `
` is greatly distressed. It is not only that he feels sorrow, deep `
` sorrow, for the dear, good man who has befriended him all his `
` life, and now at the end has treated him like his own son and `
` left him a fortune which to people of our modest bringing up is `
` wealth beyond the dream of avarice, but Jonathan feels it on `
` another account. He says the amount of responsibility which it `
` puts upon him makes him nervous. He begins to doubt himself. I `
` try to cheer him up, and my belief in him helps him to have a `
` belief in himself. But it is here that the grave shock that he `
` experienced tells upon him the most. Oh, it is too hard that a `
` sweet, simple, noble, strong nature such as his, a nature which `
` enabled him by our dear, good friend's aid to rise from clerk to `
` master in a few years, should be so injured that the very essence `
` of its strength is gone. Forgive me, dear, if I worry you with my `
` troubles in the midst of your own happiness, but Lucy dear, I `
` must tell someone, for the strain of keeping up a brave and `
` cheerful appearance to Jonathan tries me, and I have no one here `
` that I can confide in. I dread coming up to London, as we must `
` do that day after tomorrow, for poor Mr. Hawkins left in his will `
` that he was to be buried in the grave with his father. As there `
` are no relations at all, Jonathan will have to be chief mourner. `
` I shall try to run over to see you, dearest, if only for a few `
` minutes. Forgive me for troubling you. With all blessings, `
` `
` "Your loving `
` `
` "Mina Harker" `
` `
` `
` `
` DR. SEWARD'S DIARY `
` `
` 20 September.--Only resolution and habit can let me make an entry `
` tonight. I am too miserable, too low spirited, too sick of the world `
` and all in it, including life itself, that I would not care if I heard `
` this moment the flapping of the wings of the angel of death. And he `
` has been flapping those grim wings to some purpose of late, Lucy's `
` mother and Arthur's father, and now . . . Let me get on with my work. `
` `
` I duly relieved Van Helsing in his watch over Lucy. We wanted Arthur `
` to go to rest also, but he refused at first. It was only when I told `
` him that we should want him to help us during the day, and that we `
` must not all break down for want of rest, lest Lucy should suffer, `
` that he agreed to go. `
` `
` Van Helsing was very kind to him. "Come, my child," he said. "Come `
` with me. You are sick and weak, and have had much sorrow and much `
` mental pain, as well as that tax on your strength that we know of. `
` You must not be alone, for to be alone is to be full of fears and `
` alarms. Come to the drawing room, where there is a big fire, and `
` there are two sofas. You shall lie on one, and I on the other, and `
` our sympathy will be comfort to each other, even though we do not `
` speak, and even if we sleep." `
` `
`
` day, for now that Jonathan is a partner, Mr. Hawkins wants to `
` tell him all about the clients. `
` `
` "How is your dear mother getting on? I wish I could run up `
` to town for a day or two to see you, dear, but I dare not `
` go yet, with so much on my shoulders, and Jonathan wants `
` looking after still. He is beginning to put some flesh on `
` his bones again, but he was terribly weakened by the long `
` illness. Even now he sometimes starts out of his sleep in `
` a sudden way and awakes all trembling until I can coax him `
` back to his usual placidity. However, thank God, these `
` occasions grow less frequent as the days go on, and they `
` will in time pass away altogether, I trust. And now I have `
` told you my news, let me ask yours. When are you to be `
` married, and where, and who is to perform the ceremony, and `
` what are you to wear, and is it to be a public or private `
` wedding? Tell me all about it, dear, tell me all about `
` everything, for there is nothing which interests you which `
` will not be dear to me. Jonathan asks me to send his 'respectful `
` duty', but I do not think that is good enough from the junior `
` partner of the important firm Hawkins & Harker. And so, as you `
` love me, and he loves me, and I love you with all the moods and `
` tenses of the verb, I send you simply his 'love' instead. `
` Goodbye, my dearest Lucy, and blessings on you. `
` `
` "Yours, `
` `
` "Mina Harker" `
` `
` `
` `
` REPORT FROM PATRICK HENNESSEY, MD, MRCSLK, QCPI, ETC, ETC, `
` TO JOHN SEWARD, MD `
` `
` 20 September `
` `
` My dear Sir: `
` `
` "In accordance with your wishes, I enclose report of the `
` conditions of everything left in my charge. With regard to `
` patient, Renfield, there is more to say. He has had another `
` outbreak, which might have had a dreadful ending, but which, as `
` it fortunately happened, was unattended with any unhappy results. `
` This afternoon a carrier's cart with two men made a call at the `
` empty house whose grounds abut on ours, the house to which, you `
` will remember, the patient twice ran away. The men stopped at `
` our gate to ask the porter their way, as they were strangers. `
` `
` "I was myself looking out of the study window, having a `
` smoke after dinner, and saw one of them come up to the `
` house. As he passed the window of Renfield's room, the `
` patient began to rate him from within, and called him all `
` the foul names he could lay his tongue to. The man, who `
` seemed a decent fellow enough, contented himself by telling `
` him to 'shut up for a foul-mouthed beggar', whereon our man `
` accused him of robbing him and wanting to murder him and `
` said that he would hinder him if he were to swing for it. `
` I opened the window and signed to the man not to notice, so `
` he contented himself after looking the place over and making up `
` his mind as to what kind of place he had got to by saying, 'Lor' `
` bless yer, sir, I wouldn't mind what was said to me in a bloomin' `
` madhouse. I pity ye and the guv'nor for havin' to live in the `
` house with a wild beast like that.' `
` `
` "Then he asked his way civilly enough, and I told him where `
` the gate of the empty house was. He went away followed by `
` threats and curses and revilings from our man. I went down `
` to see if I could make out any cause for his anger, since `
` he is usually such a well-behaved man, and except his violent `
` fits nothing of the kind had ever occurred. I found him, to my `
` astonishment, quite composed and most genial in his manner. I `
` tried to get him to talk of the incident, but he blandly asked me `
` questions as to what I meant, and led me to believe that he was `
` completely oblivious of the affair. It was, I am sorry to say, `
` however, only another instance of his cunning, for within half an `
` hour I heard of him again. This time he had broken out through `
` the window of his room, and was running down the avenue. I `
` called to the attendants to follow me, and ran after him, for I `
` feared he was intent on some mischief. My fear was justified `
` when I saw the same cart which had passed before coming down the `
` road, having on it some great wooden boxes. The men were wiping `
` their foreheads, and were flushed in the face, as if with violent `
` exercise. Before I could get up to him, the patient rushed at `
` them, and pulling one of them off the cart, began to knock his `
` head against the ground. If I had not seized him just at the `
` moment, I believe he would have killed the man there and then. `
` The other fellow jumped down and struck him over the head with `
` the butt end of his heavy whip. It was a horrible blow, but he `
` did not seem to mind it, but seized him also, and struggled with `
` the three of us, pulling us to and fro as if we were kittens. `
` You know I am no lightweight, and the others were both burly men. `
` At first he was silent in his fighting, but as we began to master `
` him, and the attendants were putting a strait waistcoat on him, `
` he began to shout, 'I'll frustrate them! They shan't rob me! `
` They shan't murder me by inches! I'll fight for my Lord and `
` Master!' and all sorts of similar incoherent ravings. It was `
` with very considerable difficulty that they got him back to the `
` house and put him in the padded room. One of the attendants, `
` Hardy, had a finger broken. However, I set it all right, and he `
` is going on well. `
` `
` "The two carriers were at first loud in their threats of `
` actions for damages, and promised to rain all the penalties `
` of the law on us. Their threats were, however, mingled `
` with some sort of indirect apology for the defeat of the `
` two of them by a feeble madman. They said that if it had `
` not been for the way their strength had been spent in carrying `
` and raising the heavy boxes to the cart they would have made `
` short work of him. They gave as another reason for their defeat `
` the extraordinary state of drouth to which they had been reduced `
` by the dusty nature of their occupation and the reprehensible `
` distance from the scene of their labors of any place of public `
` entertainment. I quite understood their drift, and after a stiff `
` glass of strong grog, or rather more of the same, and with each a `
` sovereign in hand, they made light of the attack, and swore that `
` they would encounter a worse madman any day for the pleasure of `
` meeting so 'bloomin' good a bloke' as your correspondent. I took `
` their names and addresses, in case they might be needed. They `
` are as follows: Jack Smollet, of Dudding's Rents, King George's `
` Road, Great Walworth, and Thomas Snelling, Peter Farley's Row, `
` Guide Court, Bethnal Green. They are both in the employment of `
` Harris & Sons, Moving and Shipment Company, Orange Master's Yard, `
` Soho. `
` `
` "I shall report to you any matter of interest occurring here, and `
` shall wire you at once if there is anything of importance. `
` `
` "Believe me, dear Sir, `
` `
` "Yours faithfully, `
` `
` "Patrick Hennessey." `
` `
` `
` `
` LETTER, MINA HARKER TO LUCY WESTENRA (Unopened by her) `
` `
` 18 September `
` `
` "My dearest Lucy, `
` `
` "Such a sad blow has befallen us. Mr. Hawkins has died very `
` suddenly. Some may not think it so sad for us, but we had `
` both come to so love him that it really seems as though we `
` had lost a father. I never knew either father or mother, `
` so that the dear old man's death is a real blow to me. Jonathan `
` is greatly distressed. It is not only that he feels sorrow, deep `
` sorrow, for the dear, good man who has befriended him all his `
` life, and now at the end has treated him like his own son and `
` left him a fortune which to people of our modest bringing up is `
` wealth beyond the dream of avarice, but Jonathan feels it on `
` another account. He says the amount of responsibility which it `
` puts upon him makes him nervous. He begins to doubt himself. I `
` try to cheer him up, and my belief in him helps him to have a `
` belief in himself. But it is here that the grave shock that he `
` experienced tells upon him the most. Oh, it is too hard that a `
` sweet, simple, noble, strong nature such as his, a nature which `
` enabled him by our dear, good friend's aid to rise from clerk to `
` master in a few years, should be so injured that the very essence `
` of its strength is gone. Forgive me, dear, if I worry you with my `
` troubles in the midst of your own happiness, but Lucy dear, I `
` must tell someone, for the strain of keeping up a brave and `
` cheerful appearance to Jonathan tries me, and I have no one here `
` that I can confide in. I dread coming up to London, as we must `
` do that day after tomorrow, for poor Mr. Hawkins left in his will `
` that he was to be buried in the grave with his father. As there `
` are no relations at all, Jonathan will have to be chief mourner. `
` I shall try to run over to see you, dearest, if only for a few `
` minutes. Forgive me for troubling you. With all blessings, `
` `
` "Your loving `
` `
` "Mina Harker" `
` `
` `
` `
` DR. SEWARD'S DIARY `
` `
` 20 September.--Only resolution and habit can let me make an entry `
` tonight. I am too miserable, too low spirited, too sick of the world `
` and all in it, including life itself, that I would not care if I heard `
` this moment the flapping of the wings of the angel of death. And he `
` has been flapping those grim wings to some purpose of late, Lucy's `
` mother and Arthur's father, and now . . . Let me get on with my work. `
` `
` I duly relieved Van Helsing in his watch over Lucy. We wanted Arthur `
` to go to rest also, but he refused at first. It was only when I told `
` him that we should want him to help us during the day, and that we `
` must not all break down for want of rest, lest Lucy should suffer, `
` that he agreed to go. `
` `
` Van Helsing was very kind to him. "Come, my child," he said. "Come `
` with me. You are sick and weak, and have had much sorrow and much `
` mental pain, as well as that tax on your strength that we know of. `
` You must not be alone, for to be alone is to be full of fears and `
` alarms. Come to the drawing room, where there is a big fire, and `
` there are two sofas. You shall lie on one, and I on the other, and `
` our sympathy will be comfort to each other, even though we do not `
` speak, and even if we sleep." `
` `
`