MINA HARKER'S JOURNAL
1 November.--All day long we have travelled, and at a good speed.
The horses seem to know that they are being kindly treated,
for they go willingly their full stage at best speed.
We have now had so many changes and find the same thing so constantly
that we are encouraged to think that the journey will be an easy one.
Dr. Van Helsing is laconic, he tells the farmers that he is hurrying
to Bistritz, and pays them well to make the exchange of horses.
We get hot soup, or coffee, or tea, and off we go.
It is a lovely country. Full of beauties of all imaginable kinds,
and the people are brave, and strong, and simple, and seem
full of nice qualities. They are very, very superstitious.
In the first house where we stopped, when the woman who served
us saw the scar on my forehead, she crossed herself and put
out two fingers towards me, to keep off the evil eye.
I believe they went to the trouble of putting an extra
amount of garlic into our food, and I can't abide garlic.
Ever since then I have taken care not to take off my hat or veil,
and so have escaped their suspicions. We are travelling fast,
and as we have no driver with us to carry tales, we go ahead
of scandal. But I daresay that fear of the evil eye will follow
hard behind us all the way. The Professor seems tireless.
All day he would not take any rest, though he made me sleep
for a long spell. At sunset time he hypnotized me, and he says I
answered as usual, "darkness, lapping water and creaking wood."
So our enemy is still on the river. I am afraid to think
of Jonathan, but somehow I have now no fear for him, or for myself.
I write this whilst we wait in a farmhouse for the horses
to be ready. Dr. Van Helsing is sleeping. Poor dear, he looks
very tired and old and grey, but his mouth is set as firmly as a
conqueror's. Even in his sleep he is intense with resolution.
When we have well started I must make him rest whilst I drive.
I shall tell him that we have days before us, and he must
not break down when most of all his strength will be needed.
..All is ready. We are off shortly.
2 November, morning.--I was successful, and we took turns
driving all night. Now the day is on us, bright though cold.
There is a strange heaviness in the air. I say heaviness
for want of a better word. I mean that it oppresses us both.
It is very cold, and only our warm furs keep us comfortable.
At dawn Van Helsing hypnotized me. He says I answered "darkness, creaking
wood and roaring water," so the river is changing as they ascend.
I do hope that my darling will not run any chance of danger,
more than need be, but we are in God's hands.
2 November, night.--All day long driving. The country gets
wilder as we go, and the great spurs of the Carpathians,
which at Veresti seemed so far from us and so low on
the horizon, now seem to gather round us and tower in front.
We both seem in good spirits. I think we make an effort
each to cheer the other, in the doing so we cheer ourselves.
Dr. Van Helsing says that by morning we shall reach the Borgo Pass.
The houses are very few here now, and the Professor says
that the last horse we got will have to go on with us, as we
may not be able to change. He got two in addition to the two
we changed, so that now we have a rude four-in-hand. The dear
horses are patient and good, and they give us no trouble.
We are not worried with other travellers, and so even I
can drive. We shall get to the Pass in daylight.
We do not want to arrive before. So we take it easy, and have
each a long rest in turn. Oh, what will tomorrow bring to us?
We go to seek the place where my poor darling suffered so much.
God grant that we may be guided aright, and that He will
deign to watch over my husband and those dear to us both,
and who are in such deadly peril. As for me, I am not worthy
in His sight. Alas! I am unclean to His eyes, and shall
be until He may deign to let me stand forth in His sight
as one of those who have not incurred His wrath.