Clare?s villa was an East Indian cottage, surrounded by light verandahs of bamboo-work, and opening on all sides into gardens and pleasure-groundsThe common sitting-room opened on to a large garden, fragrant with every picturesque plant and flower of the tropics, where winding paths ran down to the very shores of the lake, whose silvery sheet of water lay there, rising and falling in the sunbeams,?a picture never for an hour the same, yet every hour more beautiful It is now one of those intensely golden sunsets which kindles the whole horizon into one blaze of glory, and makes the water another skyThe lake lay in rosy or golden streaks, save where white-winged vessels glided hither and thither, like so many spirits, and little golden stars twinkled through the glow, and looked down at themselves as they trembled in the water Tom and Eva were seated on a little mossy seat, in an arbor, at the foot of the gardenIt was Sunday evening, and Eva?s Bible lay open on her kneeShe read,??And I saw a sea of glass, mingled with fire ?Tom,? said Eva, suddenly stopping, and pointing to the lake, ?there ?t is ?What, Miss Eva?? ?Don?t you see,?there?? said the child, pointing to the glassy water, which, as it rose and fell, reflected the golden glow of the sky?There?s a ?sea of glass, mingled with fire? ?True enough, Miss Eva,? said Tom; and Tom sang? ?O, had I the wings of the morning, I?d fly away to Canaan?s shore; Bright angels should convey me home, To the new Jerusalem ?Where do you suppose new Jerusalem is, Uncle Tom?? said Eva ?O, up in the clouds, Miss Eva ?Then I think I see it,? said Eva?Look in those clouds!?they look like great gates of pearl; and you can see beyond them?far, far off?it?s all goldTom, sing about ?spirits bright? Tom sung the words of a well-known Methodist hymn, ?I see a band of spirits bright, That taste the glories there; They all are robed in spotless white, And conquering palms they bear ?Uncle Tom, I?ve seen them,? said Eva Tom had no doubt of it at all; it did not surprise him in the leastIf Eva had told him she had been to heaven, he would have thought it entirely probable ?They come to me sometimes in my sleep, those spirits;? and Eva?s eyes grew dreamy, and she hummed, in a low voice, ?They are all robed in spotless white, And conquering palms they bear ?Uncle Tom,? said Eva, ?I?m going there ?Where, Miss Eva?? The child rose, and pointed her little hand to the sky; the glow of evening lit her golden hair and flushed cheek with a kind of unearthly radiance, and her eyes were bent earnestly on the skies ?I?m going there,? she said, ?to the spirits bright, Tom; I?m going, before long The faithful old heart felt a sudden thrust; and Tom thought how often he had noticed, within six months, that Eva?s little hands had grown thinner, and her skin more transparent, and her breath shorter; and how, when she ran or played in the garden, as she once could for hours, she became soon so tired and languidHe had heard Miss Ophelia speak often of a cough, that all her medicaments could not cure; and even now that fervent cheek and little hand were burning with hectic fever; and yet the thought that Eva?s words suggested had never come to him till now Has there ever been a child like Eva? Yes, there have been; but their names are always on grave-stones, and their sweet smiles, their heavenly eyes, their singular words and ways, are among the buried treasures of yearning heartsIn how many families do you hear the legend that all the goodness and graces of the living are nothing to the peculiar charms of one who is notIt is as if heaven had an especial band of angels, whose office it was to sojourn for a season here, and endear to them the wayward human heart, that they might bear it upward with them in their homeward flightWhen you see that deep, spiritual light in the eye,?when the little soul reveals itself in words sweeter and wiser than the ordinary words of children,?hope not to retain that child; for the seal of heaven is on it, and the light of immortality looks out from its eyes Even so, beloved Eva! fair star of thy dwelling! Thou are passing away; but they that love thee dearest know it not The colloquy between Tom and Eva was interrupted by a hasty call from Miss Ophelia ?Eva?Eva!?why, child, the dew is falling; you mustn?t be out there!? Eva and Tom hastened in Miss Ophelia was old, and skilled in the tactics of nursingShe was from New England, and knew well the first guileful footsteps of that soft, insidious disease, which sweeps away so many of the fairest and loveliest, and, before one fibre of life seems broken, seals them irrevocably for death She had noted the slight, dry cough, the daily brightening cheek; nor could the lustre of the eye, and the airy buoyancy born of fever, deceive her She tried to communicate her fears to StClare; but he threw back her suggestions with a restless petulance, unlike his usual careless good-humor ?Don?t be croaking, Cousin,?I hate it!? he would say; ?don?t you see that the child is only growingChildren always lose strength when they grow shop fast

"We were just in time," said the Professor thankfully We had now to decide what we were to do with the child, and so consulted about itIf we were to take it to a police station we should have to give some account of our movements during the nightAt least, we should have had to make some statement as to how we had come to find the childSo finally we decided that we would take it to the Heath, and when we heard a policeman coming, would leave it where he could not fail to find itWe would then seek our way home as quickly as we couldAt the edge of Hampstead Heath we heard a policeman's heavy tramp, and laying the child on the pathway, we waited and watched until he saw it as he flashed his lantern to and froWe heard his exclamation of astonishment, and then we went away silentlyBy good chance we got a cab near the 'Spainiards,' and drove to town I cannot sleep, so I make this entryBut I must try to get a few hours' sleep, as Van Helsing is to call for me at noonHe insists that I go with him on another expedition-It was two o'clock before we found a suitable opportunity for our attemptThe funeral held at noon was all completed, and the last stragglers of the mourners had taken themselves lazily away, when, looking carefully from behind a clump of alder trees, we saw the sexton lock the gate after himWe knew that we were safe till morning did we desire it, but the Professor told me that we should not want more than an hour at mostAgain I felt that horrid sense of the reality of things, in which any effort of imagination seemed out of place, and I realized distinctly the perils of the law which we were incurring in our unhallowed workBesides, I felt it was all so uselessOutrageous as it was to open a leaden coffin, to see if a woman dead nearly a week were really dead, it now seemed the height of folly to open the tomb again, when we knew, from the evidence of our own eyesight, that the coffin was emptyI shrugged my shoulders, however, and rested silent, for Van Helsing had a way of going on his own road, no matter who remonstratedHe took the key, opened the vault, and again courteously motioned me to precedeThe place was not so gruesome as last night, but oh, how unutterably mean looking when the sunshine streamed inVan Helsing walked over to Lucy's coffin, and I followedHe bent over and again forced back the leaden flange, and a shock of surprise and dismay shot through me There lay Lucy, seemingly just as we had seen her the night before her funeralShe was, if possible, more radiantly beautiful than ever, and I could not believe that she was deadThe lips were red, nay redder than before, and on the cheeks was a delicate bloom "Is this a juggle?" I said to him "Are you convinced now?" said the Professor, in response, and as he spoke he put over his hand, and in a way that made me shudder, pulled back the dead lips and showed the white teeth"See," he went on, "they are even sharper than beforeWith this and this," and he touched one of the canine teeth and that below it, "the little children can be bittenAre you of belief now, friend John?" Once more argumentative hostility woke within meI could not accept such an overwhelming idea as he suggestedSo, with an attempt to argue of which I was even at the moment ashamed, I said, "She may have been placed here since last night "Indeed? That is so, and by whom?" "I do not know "And yet she has been dead one weekMost peoples in that time would not look so I had no answer for this, so was silentVan Helsing did not seem to notice my silenceAt any rate, he showed neither chagrin nor triumphHe was looking intently at the face of the dead woman, raising the eyelids and looking at the eyes, and once more opening the lips and examining the shop teeth

"And your police, they would interfere, would they not?" "Oh no! Not if they knew the man was properly employed "Then," he looked at me as keenly as he spoke, "all that is in doubt is the conscience of the employer, and the belief of your policemen as to whether or not that employer has a good conscience or a bad oneYour police must indeed be zealous men and clever, oh so clever, in reading the heart, that they trouble themselves in such matterNo, no, my friend Jonathan, you go take the lock off a hundred empty houses in this your London, or of any city in the world, and if you do it as such things are rightly done, and at the time such things are rightly done, no one will interfereI have read of a gentleman who owned a so fine house in London, and when he went for months of summer to Switzerland and lock up his house, some burglar come and broke window at back and got inThen he went and made open the shutters in front and walk out and in through the door, before the very eyes of the policeThen he have an auction in that house, and advertise it, and put up big noticeAnd when the day come he sell off by a great auctioneer all the goods of that other man who own themThen he go to a builder, and he sell him that house, making an agreement that he pull it down and take all away within a certain timeAnd your police and other authority help him all they canAnd when that owner come back from his holiday in Switzerland he find only an empty hole where his house had beenThis was all done en regle, and in our work we shall be en regle tooWe shall not go so early that the policemen who have then little to think of, shall deem it strangeBut we shall go after ten o'clock, when there are many about, and such things would be done were we indeed owners of the house I could not but see how right he was and the terrible despair of Mina's face became relaxed in thoughtThere was hope in such good counsel Van Helsing went on, "When once within that house we may find more cluesAt any rate some of us can remain there whilst the rest find the other places where there be more earth boxes, at Bermondsey and Mile End Lord Godalming stood up"I can be of some use here," he said"I shall wire to my people to have horses and carriages where they will be most convenient "Look here, old fellow," said Morris, "it is a capital idea to have all ready in case we want to go horse backing, but don't you think that one of your snappy carriages with its heraldic adornments in a byway of Walworth or Mile End would attract too much attention for our purpose? It seems to me that we ought to take cabs when we go south or eastAnd even leave them somewhere near the neighbourhood we are going to "Friend Quincey is right!" said the Professor"His head is what you call in plane with the horizonIt is a difficult thing that we go to do, and we do not want no peoples to watch us if so it may Mina took a growing interest in everything and I was rejoiced to see that the exigency of affairs was helping her to forget for a time the terrible experience of the nightShe was very, very pale, almost ghastly, and so thin that her lips were drawn away, showing her teeth in somewhat of prominenceI did not mention this last, lest it should give her needless pain, but it made my blood run cold in my veins to think of what had occurred with poor Lucy when the Count had sucked her bloodAs yet there was no sign of the teeth growing sharper, but the time as yet was short, and there was time for fear When we came to the discussion of the sequence of our efforts and of the disposition of our forces, there were new sources of doubtIt was finally agreed that before starting for Piccadilly we should destroy the Count's lair close at handIn case he should find it out too soon, we should thus be still ahead of him in our work of destructionAnd his presence in his purely material shape, and at his weakest, might give us some new clue As to the disposal of forces, it was suggested by the Professor that, after our visit to Carfax, we should all enter the house in PiccadillyThat the two doctors and I should remain there, whilst Lord Godalming and Quincey found the lairs at Walworth and Mile End and destroyed themIt was possible, if not likely, the Professor urged, that the Count might appear in Piccadilly during the day, and that if so we might be able to cope with him then and thereAt any rate, we might be able to follow him in forceTo this plan I strenuously objected, and so far as my going was concerned, for I said that I intended to stay and protect MinaI thought that my mind was made up on the subject, but Mina would not listen to my shop objection

?Ho, ho!? said Sam, ?skeery, ar ye?? and his black visage lighted up with a curious, mischievous gleam?I?ll fix ye now!? said he There was a large beech-tree overshadowing the place, and the small, sharp, triangular beech-nuts lay scattered thickly on the groundWith one of these in his fingers, Sam approached the colt, stroked and patted, and seemed apparently busy in soothing his agitationOn pretence of adjusting the saddle, he adroitly slipped under it the sharp little nut, in such a manner that the least weight brought upon the saddle would annoy the nervous sensibilities of the animal, without leaving any perceptible graze or wound ?Dar!? he said, rolling his eyes with an approving grin; ?me fix ?em!? At this moment MrsShelby appeared on the balcony, beckoning to himSam approached with as good a determination to pay court as did ever suitor after a vacant place at St ?Why have you been loitering so, Sam? I sent Andy to tell you to hurry ?Lord bless you, Missis!? said Sam, ?horses won?t be cotched all in a mimit; they?d done clared out way down to the south pasture, and the Lord knows whar!? ?Sam, how often must I tell you not to say ?Lord bless you, and the Lord knows,? and such things? It?s wicked ?O, Lord bless my soul! I done forgot, Missis! I won?t say nothing of de sort no more ?Why, Sam, you just have said it again ?Did I? O, Lord! I mean?I didn?t go fur to say it ?You must be careful, Sam ?Just let me get my breath, Missis, and I?ll start fair ?Well, Sam, you are to go with MrHaley, to show him the road, and help himBe careful of the horses, Sam; you know Jerry was a little lame last week; don?t ride them too fastShelby spoke the last words with a low voice, and strong emphasis ?Let dis child alone for dat!? said Sam, rolling up his eyes with a volume of meaning?Lord knows! High! Didn?t say dat!? said he, suddenly catching his breath, with a ludicrous flourish of apprehension, which made his mistress laugh, spite of herself?Yes, Missis, I?ll look out for de hosses!? ?Now, Andy,? said Sam, returning to his stand under the beech-trees, ?you see I wouldn?t be ?t all surprised if dat ar gen?lman?s crittur should gib a fling, by and by, when he comes to be a gettin? upYou know, Andy, critturs will do such things;? and therewith Sam poked Andy in the side, in a highly suggestive manner ?High!? said Andy, with an air of instant appreciation ?Yes, you see, Andy, Missis wants to make time,?dat ar?s clar to der most or?nary ?bserverI jis make a little for herNow, you see, get all dese yer hosses loose, caperin? permiscus round dis yer lot and down to de wood dar, and I spec Mas?r won?t be off in a hurry ?Yer see,? said Sam, ?yer see, Andy, if any such thing should happen as that Mas?r Haley?s horse should begin to act contrary, and cut up, you and I jist lets go of our?n to help him, and we?ll help him?oh yes!? And Sam and Andy laid their heads back on their shoulders, and broke into a low, immoderate laugh, snapping their fingers and flourishing their heels with exquisite delight At this instant, Haley appeared on the verandahSomewhat mollified by certain cups of very good coffee, he came out smiling and talking, in tolerably restored humorSam and Andy, clawing for certain fragmentary palm-leaves, which they were in the habit of considering as hats, flew to the horseposts, to be ready to ?help Mas?r Sam?s palm-leaf had been ingeniously disentangled from all pretensions to braid, as respects its brim; and the slivers starting apart, and standing upright, gave it a blazing air of freedom and defiance, quite equal to that of any Fejee chief; while the whole brim of Andy?s being departed bodily, he rapped the crown on his head with a dexterous thump, and looked about well pleased, as if to say, ?Who says I haven?t got a hat?? ?Well, boys,? said Haley, ?look alive now; we must lose no time ?Not a bit of him, Mas?r!? said Sam, putting Haley?s rein in his hand, and holding his stirrup, while Andy was untying the other two horses The instant Haley touched the saddle, the mettlesome creature bounded from the earth with a sudden spring, that threw his master sprawling, some feet off, on the soft, dry turfSam, with frantic ejaculations, made a dive at the reins, but only succeeded in brushing the blazing palm-leaf afore-named into the horse?s eyes, which by no means tended to allay the confusion of his nervesSo, with great vehemence, he overturned Sam, and, giving two or three contemptuous snorts, flourished his heels vigorously in the air, and was soon prancing away towards the lower end of the lawn, followed by Bill and Jerry, whom Andy had not failed to let loose, according to contract, speeding them off with various direful ejaculationsAnd now ensued a miscellaneous scene of confusionSam and Andy ran and shouted,?dogs barked here and there,?and Mike, Mose, Mandy, Fanny, and all the smaller specimens on the place, both male and female, raced, clapped hands, whooped, and shouted, with outrageous officiousness and untiring zeal Haley?s horse, which was a white one, and very fleet and spirited, appeared to enter into the spirit of the scene with great gusto; and having for his coursing ground a lawn of nearly half a mile in extent, gently sloping down on every side into indefinite woodland, he appeared to take infinite delight in seeing how near he could allow his pursuers to approach him, and then, when within a hand?s breadth, whisk off with a start and a snort, like a mischievous beast as he was and career far down into some alley of the wood-lotNothing was further from Sam?s mind than to have any one of the troop taken until such season as should seem to him most befitting,?and the exertions that he made were certainly most shop heroic

I closed my eyes in languorous ecstasy and waited, waited with beating heart But at that instant, another sensation swept through me as quick as lightningI was conscious of the presence of the Count, and of his being as if lapped in a storm of furyAs my eyes opened involuntarily I saw his strong hand grasp the slender neck of the fair woman and with giant's power draw it back, the blue eyes transformed with fury, the white teeth champing with rage, and the fair cheeks blazing red with passionBut the Count! Never did I imagine such wrath and fury, even to the demons of the pitHis eyes were positively blazingThe red light in them was lurid, as if the flames of hell fire blazed behind themHis face was deathly pale, and the lines of it were hard like drawn wiresThe thick eyebrows that met over the nose now seemed like a heaving bar of white-hot metalWith a fierce sweep of his arm, he hurled the woman from him, and then motioned to the others, as though he were beating them backIt was the same imperious gesture that I had seen used to the wolvesIn a voice which, though low and almost in a whisper seemed to cut through the air and then ring in the room he said, "How dare you touch him, any of you? How dare you cast eyes on him when I had forbidden it? Back, I tell you all! This man belongs to me! Beware how you meddle with him, or you'll have to deal with me The fair girl, with a laugh of ribald coquetry, turned to answer him"You yourself never lovedYou never love!" On this the other women joined, and such a mirthless, hard, soulless laughter rang through the room that it almost made me faint to hearIt seemed like the pleasure of fiends Then the Count turned, after looking at my face attentively, and said in a soft whisper, "Yes, I too can loveYou yourselves can tell it from the pastIs it not so? Well, now I promise you that when I am done with him you shall kiss him at your willNow go! Go! I must awaken him, for there is work to be done "Are we to have nothing tonight?" said one of them, with a low laugh, as she pointed to the bag which he had thrown upon the floor, and which moved as though there were some living thing within itFor answer he nodded his headOne of the women jumped forward and opened itIf my ears did not deceive me there was a gasp and a low wail, as of a half smothered childThe women closed round, whilst I was aghast with horrorBut as I looked, they disappeared, and with them the dreadful bagThere was no door near them, and they could not have passed me without my noticingThey simply seemed to fade into the rays of the moonlight and pass out through the window, for I could see outside the dim, shadowy forms for a moment before they entirely faded away Then the horror overcame me, and I sank down unconscious CHAPTER 4 Jonathan Harker's Journal Continued I awoke in my own bedIf it be that I had not dreamt, the Count must have carried me hereI tried to satisfy myself on the subject, but could not arrive at any unquestionable resultTo be sure, there were certain small evidences, such as that my clothes were folded and laid by in a manner which was not my habitMy watch was still unwound, and I am rigorously accustomed to wind it the last thing before going to bed, and many such detailsBut these things are no proof, for they may have been evidences that my mind was not as usual, and, for some cause or another, I had certainly been much upsetI must watch for proofOf one thing I am gladIf it was that the Count carried me here and undressed me, he must have been hurried in his task, for my pockets are intactI am sure this diary would have been a mystery to him which he would not have brookedHe would have taken or destroyed shop it