| Madam Mina, it is on account of the dead that I... 439 |
[Jan. 27th, 2010|02:08 am] |
Madam Mina, it is on account of the dead that I come
"Sir," I said, "you could have no better claim on me than that you were a friend and helper of Lucy Westenra And I held out my handHe took it and said tenderly,
"Oh, Madam Mina, I know that the friend of that poor little girl must be good, but I had yet to learn?" He finished his speech with a courtly bowI asked him what it was that he wanted to see me about, so he at once began
"I have read your letters to Miss LucyForgive me, but I had to begin to inquire somewhere, and there was none to askI know that you were with her at WhitbyShe sometimes kept a diary, you need not look surprised, Madam MinaIt was begun after you had left, and was an imitation of you, and in that diary she traces by inference certain things to a sleep-walking in which she puts down that you saved herIn great perplexity then I come to you, and ask you out of your so much kindness to tell me all of it that you can remember
"I can tell you, I think, DrVan Helsing, all about it
"Ah, then you have good memory for facts, for details? It is not always so with young ladies
"No, doctor, but I wrote it all down at the timeI can show it to you if you like
"Oh, Madam Mina, I well be gratefulYou will do me much favour
I could not resist the temptation of mystifying him a bit, I suppose it is some taste of the original apple that remains still in our mouths, so I handed him the shorthand diaryHe took it with a grateful bow, and said, "May I read it?"
"If you wish," I answered as demurely as I couldHe opened it, and for an instant his face fellThen he stood up and bowed
"Oh, you so clever woman!" he saidJonathan was a man of much thankfulness, but see, his wife have all the good thingsAnd will you not so much honour me and so help me as to read it for me? Alas! I know not the shorthand
By this time my little joke was over, and I was almost ashamedSo I took the typewritten copy from my work basket and handed it to him
"Forgive me," I said"I could not help it, but I had been thinking that it was of dear Lucy that you wished to ask, and so that you might not have time to wait, not on my account, but because I know your time must be precious, I have written it out on the typewriter for you
He took it and his eyes glistened"You are so good," he said"And may I read it now? I may want to ask you some things when I have read
"By all means," I said, "read it over whilst I order lunch, and then you can ask me questions whilst we eat
He bowed and settled himself in a chair with his back to the light, and became so absorbed in the papers, whilst I went to see after lunch chiefly in order that he might not be disturbedWhen I came back, I found him walking hurriedly up and down the room, his face all ablaze with excitementHe rushed up to me and took me by both hands
"Oh, Madam Mina," he said, "how can I say what I owe to you? This paper is as sunshineIt opens the gate to meI am dazed, I am dazzled, with so much light, and yet clouds roll in behind the light every timeBut that you do not, cannot |
|
|