Note
from Helsing
to Dr. SewardNOTE LEFT BY VAN HELSING IN HIS PORTMANTEAU,
BERKELEY HOTEL DIRECTED TO JOHN SEWARD, M. D. (Not Delivered) 27 September "Friend
John, "I write this in case anything should happen. I go alone to watch
in that churchyard. It pleases me that the UnDead, Miss Lucy, shall not leave
tonight, that so on the morrow night she may be more eager. Therefore I shall
fix some things she like not, garlic and a crucifix, and so seal up the door of
the tomb. She is young as UnDead, and will heed. Moreover, these are only to prevent
her coming out. They may not prevail on her wanting to get in, for then the UnDead
is desperate, and must find the line of least resistance, whatsoever it may be.
I shall be at hand all the night from sunset till after sunrise, and if there
be aught that may be learned I shall learn it. For Miss Lucy or from her, I have
no fear, but that other to whom is there that she is UnDead, he have not the power
to seek her tomb and find shelter. He is cunning, as I know from Mr. Jonathan
and from the way that all along he have fooled us when he played with us for Miss
Lucy's life, and we lost, and in many ways the UnDead are strong. He have always
the strength in his hand of twenty men, even we four who gave our strength to
Miss Lucy it also is all to him. Besides, he can summon his wolf and I know not
what. So if it be that he came thither on this night he shall find me. But none
other shall, until it be too late. But it may be that he will not attempt the
place. There is no reason why he should. His hunting ground is more full of game
than the churchyard where the UnDead woman sleeps, and the one old man watch. "Therefore
I write this in case . . . Take the papers that are with this, the diaries of
Harker and the rest, and read them, and then find this great UnDead, and cut off
his head and burn his heart or drive a stake through it, so that the world may
rest from him. "If it be so, farewell. "VAN HELSING." |
