| "I shall in all ways trust youI know and believe... 984 |
[Jan. 30th, 2010|02:32 am] |
"I shall in all ways trust youI know and believe you have a very noble heart, and you are Jack's friend, and you were hersYou shall do what you like
The Professor cleared his throat a couple of times, as though about to speak, and finally said, "May I ask you something now?"
"Certainly
"You know that MrsWestenra left you all her property?"
"No, poor dearI never thought of it
"And as it is all yours, you have a right to deal with it as you willI want you to give me permission to read all Miss Lucy's papers and lettersBelieve me, it is no idle curiosityI have a motive of which, be sure, she would have approvedI took them before we knew that all was yours, so that no strange hand might touch them, no strange eye look through words into her soulI shall keep them, if I mayEven you may not see them yet, but I shall keep them safeNo word shall be lost, and in the good time I shall give them back to youIt is a hard thing that I ask, but you will do it, will you not, for Lucy's sake?"
Arthur spoke out heartily, like his old self, "DrVan Helsing, you may do what you willI feel that in saying this I am doing what my dear one would have approvedI shall not trouble you with questions till the time comes
The old Professor stood up as he said solemnly, "And you are rightThere will be pain for us all, but it will not be all pain, nor will this pain be the lastWe and you too, you most of all, dear boy, will have to pass through the bitter water before we reach the sweetBut we must be brave of heart and unselfish, and do our duty, and all will be well!"
I slept on a sofa in Arthur's room that nightVan Helsing did not go to bed at allHe went to and fro, as if patroling the house, and was never out of sight of the room where Lucy lay in her coffin, strewn with the wild garlic flowers, which sent through the odour of lily and rose, a heavy, overpowering smell into the night
MINA HARKER'S JOURNAL
22 September-In the train to ExeterIt seems only yesterday that the last entry was made, and yet how much between then, in Whitby and all the world before me, Jonathan away and no news of him, and now, married to Jonathan, Jonathan a solicitor, a partner, rich, master of his business, MrHawkins dead and buried, and Jonathan with another attack that may harm himSome day he may ask me about itI am rusty in my shorthand, see what unexpected prosperity does for us, so it may be as well to freshen it up again with an exercise anyhow
The service was very simple and very solemnThere were only ourselves and the servants there, one or two old friends of his from Exeter, his London agent, and a gentleman representing Sir John Paxton, the President of the Incorporated Law SocietyJonathan and I stood hand in hand, and we felt that our best and dearest friend was gone from us
We came back to town quietly, taking a bus to Hyde Park CornerJonathan thought it would interest me to go into the Row for a while, so we sat downBut there were very few people there, and it was sad-looking and desolate to see so many empty chairsIt made us think of the empty chair at homeSo we got up and walked down PiccadillyJonathan was holding me by the arm, the way he used to in the old days before I went to |
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