| Her struggle back into life was something... 844 |
[Jan. 29th, 2010|07:21 am] |
Her struggle back into life was something frightful to see and hearHowever, the action of both heart and lungs improved, and Van Helsing made a sub-cutaneous injection of morphia, as before, and with good effectHer faint became a profound slumberThe Professor watched whilst I went downstairs with Quincey Morris, and sent one of the maids to pay off one of the cabmen who were waiting
I left Quincey lying down after having a glass of wine, and told the cook to get ready a good breakfastThen a thought struck me, and I went back to the room where Lucy now wasWhen I came softly in, I found Van Helsing with a sheet or two of note paper in his handHe had evidently read it, and was thinking it over as he sat with his hand to his browThere was a look of grim satisfaction in his face, as of one who has had a doubt solvedHe handed me the paper saying only, "It dropped from Lucy's breast when we carried her to the bath
When I had read it, I stood looking at the Professor, and after a pause asked him, "In God's name, what does it all mean? Was she, or is she, mad, or what sort of horrible danger is it?" I was so bewildered that I did not know what to say moreVan Helsing put out his hand and took the paper, saying,
"Do not trouble about it nowForget it for the presentYou shall know and understand it all in good time, but it will be laterAnd now what is it that you came to me to say?" This brought me back to fact, and I was all myself again
"I came to speak about the certificate of deathIf we do not act properly and wisely, there may be an inquest, and that paper would have to be producedI am in hopes that we need have no inquest, for if we had it would surely kill poor Lucy, if nothing else didI know, and you know, and the other doctor who attended her knows, that MrsWestenra had disease of the heart, and we can certify that she died of itLet us fill up the certificate at once, and I shall take it myself to the registrar and go on to the undertaker
"Good, oh my friend John! Well thought of! Truly Miss Lucy, if she be sad in the foes that beset her, is at least happy in the friends that love herOne, two, three, all open their veins for her, besides one old manAh, yes, I know, friend JohnI am not blind! I love you all the more for it! Now go
In the hall I met Quincey Morris, with a telegram for Arthur telling him that MrsWestenra was dead, that Lucy also had been ill, but was now going on better, and that Van Helsing and I were with herI told him where I was going, and he hurried me out, but as I was going said,
"When you come back, Jack, may I have two words with you all to ourselves?" I nodded in reply and went outI found no difficulty about the registration, and arranged with the local undertaker to come up in the evening to measure for the coffin and to make arrangements
When I got back Quincey was waiting for meI told him I would see him as soon as I knew about Lucy, and went up to her roomShe was still sleeping, and the Professor seemingly had not moved from his seat at her sideFrom his putting his finger to his lips, I gathered that he expected her to wake before long and was afraid of fore-stalling natureSo I went down to Quincey and took him into the breakfast room, where the blinds were not drawn down, and which was a little more cheerful, or rather less cheerless, than the other rooms
When we were alone, he said to me, "Jack Seward, I don't want to shove myself in anywhere where I've no right to be, but this is no ordinary caseYou know I loved that girl and wanted to marry her, but although that's all past and gone, I can't help feeling anxious about her all the sameWhat is it that's wrong with her? The Dutchman, and a fine old fellow he is, I can see that, said that time you two came into the room, that you must have another transfusion of blood, and that both you and he were exhaustedNow I know well that you medical men speak in camera, and that a man must not expect to know what they consult about in privateBut this is no common matter, and whatever it is, I have done my partIs not that so?"
"That's so," I said, and he went |
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