| Believe me that if the time comes for you to... 439 |
[Jan. 27th, 2010|02:08 am] |
Believe me that if the time comes for you to change your mind towards me, one look from you will wipe away all this so sad hour, for I would do what a man can to save you from sorrowFor why should I give myself so much labor and so much of sorrow? I have come here from my own land to do what I can of good, at the first to please my friend John, and then to help a sweet young lady, whom too, I come to loveFor her, I am ashamed to say so much, but I say it in kindness, I gave what you gave, the blood of my veinsI gave it, I who was not, like you, her lover, but only her physician and her friendI gave her my nights and days, before death, after death, and if my death can do her good even now, when she is the dead UnDead, she shall have it freely He said this with a very grave, sweet pride, and Arthur was much affected by it
He took the old man's hand and said in a broken voice, "Oh, it is hard to think of it, and I cannot understand, but at least I shall go with you and wait
CHAPTER 16
DRSEWARD'S DIARY--cont
It was just a quarter before twelve o'clock when we got into the churchyard over the low wallThe night was dark with occasional gleams of moonlight between the dents of the heavy clouds that scudded across the skyWe all kept somehow close together, with Van Helsing slightly in front as he led the wayWhen we had come close to the tomb I looked well at Arthur, for I feared the proximity to a place laden with so sorrowful a memory would upset him, but he bore himself wellI took it that the very mystery of the proceeding was in some way a counteractant to his griefThe Professor unlocked the door, and seeing a natural hesitation amongst us for various reasons, solved the difficulty by entering first himselfThe rest of us followed, and he closed the doorHe then lit a dark lantern and pointed to a coffinArthur stepped forward hesitatinglyVan Helsing said to me, "You were with me here yesterdayWas the body of Miss Lucy in that coffin?"
"It was
The Professor turned to the rest saying, "You hear, and yet there is no one who does not believe with me
He took his screwdriver and again took off the lid of the coffinArthur looked on, very pale but silentWhen the lid was removed he stepped forwardHe evidently did not know that there was a leaden coffin, or at any rate, had not thought of itWhen he saw the rent in the lead, the blood rushed to his face for an instant, but as quickly fell away again, so that he remained of a ghastly whitenessVan Helsing forced back the leaden flange, and we all looked in and recoiled
The coffin was empty!
For several minutes no one spoke a wordThe silence was broken by Quincey Morris, "Professor, I answered for youYour word is all I wantI wouldn't ask such a thing ordinarily, I wouldn't so dishonour you as to imply a doubt, but this is a mystery that goes beyond any honour or dishonourIs this your doing?"
"I swear to you by all that I hold sacred that I have not removed or touched herWhat happened was thisTwo nights ago my friend Seward and I came here, with good purpose, believe meI opened that coffin, which was then sealed up, and we found it as now, emptyWe then waited, and saw something white come through the treesThe next day we came here in daytime and she lay thereDid she not, friend John?
"Yes
"That night we were just in timeOne more so small child was missing, and we find it, thank God, unharmed amongst the |
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