Chapter Five. The Wrong Address
Dr Seward's Diary – 7th September
Professor Van Helsing and I went to see Lucy today. She was very, very pale. Even worse than yesterday. Her face was white. Even her lips were white. Her breathing was very weak again. The professor said she needs blood. Lots of blood.
Arthur arrived. His father is a little better. The professor asked Arthur to give his blood to Lucy. We went up to Lucy's room. The professor took some things from his bag. He gave Lucy something to help her sleep. Arthur kissed her. Then the professor gave Arthur's blood to Lucy. The colour started to come back to her face. Arthur became paler and paler.
Lucy wears a black band around her neck, with a beautiful diamond in the centre. The diamond was a present from Arthur. When the professor touched Lucy's head, the band moved a little. Both the professor and I saw two small marks on her neck. They were quite red. The professor seemed shocked and very worried. Arthur didn't see the marks. I took him back to his room. He needed to lie down.
When I came back into Lucy's room, the band was covering her neck again. I asked the professor about the marks. He couldn't tell me about them. He's going back to Amsterdam tonight. He says there are books there that he needs. He says I must stay with Lucy all night. I mustn't leave her. He says I mustn't sleep. I must watch her all night.
10th September
I stayed awake with Lucy for two nights. At first, she didn't want to sleep. She was afraid. Then, I promised to stay with her and to wake her up, if she had a bad dream. Both nights, she slept very well. Yesterday, she looked much better. I was very, very tired last night. Lucy told me to sleep. It was a good idea. I slept on the sofa in her room.
This morning, I woke up when the professor came into the room. I opened the curtains and the light came into the room. Lucy didn't wake up. She was white – whiter than white. There wasn't any time. She needed blood. This time, I gave her my blood. When she woke up, she looked better. The professor told me to go home. He told me to sleep. He's going to look after Lucy.
11th September
This morning, I went to see Lucy. She's much better. While I was there, some flowers arrived. The professor took them to Lucy. I helped him to put the flowers around her room. Then we made a necklace of flowers for her. The flowers don't smell very nice: they're garlic flowers. The professor says they're Lucy's medicine. She doesn't like them very much. She wants to get better, so she's wearing them. I think it's a very strange medicine, but I trust the professor. He knows what he's doing. He told Lucy not to open the door or the window of her room. Then we left. He says we can sleep well tonight. Nothing will happen to Lucy. He's sure.
13th September
The professor and I went to see Lucy this morning. When we arrived, Mrs Westenra came to meet us. ‘You'll be happy to know, Lucy's better. I went to her room a short time ago. She's still sleeping. I went to her room in the night. I was worried about her. She was sleeping well, but the room smelled horrible. I took away those horrible flowers and I opened the window. It smells much better now.'
At this news, the professor went white. Mrs Westenra went away. Then the professor put his head in his hands and cried, ‘What has the lady done? What has she done? What has she done?' he said, again and again.
We ran upstairs to Lucy's room. She was very, very ill. This time, the professor gave his blood to Lucy. ‘You aren't strong. You gave your blood last time,' he said. ‘Now you must help me. Help me to give my blood to her.'
Then we put flowers around the room again. We closed the window and left Lucy. She was sleeping quietly and she looked better. We went downstairs to see Mrs Westenra. The professor talked to her about the flowers. ‘The flowers are a medicine, Mrs Westenra. You mustn't take them away. They must stay in the room. Please remember. They must stay.'
Then I left. I hope Lucy will be alright. She seems calmer when she has the flowers with her. The professor is going to stay with her.
17th September
I was in my study after dinner, when I had a shock. Renfield ran into my room. I don't know how he got out of his room. I must ask the nurses. He had a knife in his hand and he attacked me. He cut my wrist. There was quite a lot of blood. When he saw the blood on the floor, he calmed down. Then he lay on the floor and tried to drink the blood, like an animal. It was horrible to see. The nurses ran in. They picked him up and took him to his room. He was still calm, but he wanted more blood.
18th September
I got a telegram from the professor this morning. It arrived very late, because he put the wrong address on it.
Telegram from Professor Van Helsing in Amsterdam, to Dr Seward in Carfax, 17th September
I AM IN HOLLAND. GO TO LUCY'S HOUSE TONIGHT. WATCH HER. DO NOT LEAVE HER ALONE.
I'm very worried. The telegram was a day late. Lucy was alone last night, I must go to her immediately.
Note from Lucy Westenra – 17th September
I'm writing this because I don't know what to do. I'm alone and I'm frightened.
Last night, I went to bed as usual. I put the flowers all around my room. In the middle of the night, I woke up. There was a noise at my window. I looked out and saw the huge bat again. Then in the distance, I heard a dog howling. The noise got louder and louder. I tried to go back to sleep, but I was afraid. Then Mother came into my room. She said she was worried about me. Then we heard the noise at the window and she saw the bat. She looked frightened and a little shocked. I told her to sit down. I didn't want her to be ill. I could hear her heart.
After a while, we heard the howling noise again. This time, it sounded very near. Suddenly, there was a loud noise at the window. A lot of broken glass fell on the floor. Then, there, in the middle of the room, we saw a large wolf. We both screamed. Mother jumped up and tried to hold onto me. She pulled the flowers from my neck and then fell onto the floor, on top of me. I hit my head. The room seemed to go around in circles. The room was full of strange blue lights. Then the wolf went away. I couldn't move: my mother was on top of me. The servants ran into the room. They lifted my mother up; she was dead. They put her on the bed. They were all very frightened. I told them to go away. I told them to get some tea and to calm down. I put my flowers on my mother's body. Then I waited for one of the servants to come back. No-one came. I called out. Still no-one came. I went to the kitchen to look for them. They were all asleep on the floor. I looked around the kitchen. I found a small bottle of medicine. It was empty. It is – oh! was! – my mother's medicine. It helped her to sleep. I smelled the tea in the servants' cups. I could smell the medicine.
Now I'm back in my room with Mother. I'm alone. Alone with the dead. I can hear the wolf; it's howling outside. I can see the blue lights all around my room. I'm very frightened. I think I'm going to die. I'm going to put this note in my pocket. Someone will find it when I die.
Goodbye, dear Arthur. I love you.
Dr Seward's Diary – 18th September
I went to Lucy's house immediately. When I arrived, it was 10 o'clock in the morning. I knocked at the door, but no-one came. I tried all the doors and windows. They were all locked. Then I heard someone behind me: it was the professor. When he saw me, he was very shocked. ‘Did you get my telegram? Why are you here? Where's Lucy?'
I told him everything. He went very pale. He tried all the doors and windows, too. Then he said, ‘We must get inside. We must break a window.'
We broke one of the kitchen windows and climbed inside. We saw the servants on the floor. We ran up to Lucy's bedroom. There, we saw the two women. Lucy was lying next to her dead mother. She was cold, but she was breathing. Lucy was alive! We took her to another room. A note fell out of her pocket. We put her in bed and covered her up. She began to get warmer. The professor looked very worried. ‘She must have blood. You're too tired. You can't give more blood. I'm too tired. But she must have blood. She must have blood again.'
Then, there was a voice at the door. ‘Can I help? Can I give my blood to dear Lucy?'
It was my old friend, Quincey Morris! He had a telegram from Arthur with him.
QUINCEY, GO TO LUCY'S HOUSE. NO NEWS FROM SEWARD. FATHER IS VERY ILL. I CAN'T GO MYSELF. PLEASE GO TO LUCY. SEE IF SHE IS ALRIGHT. ARTHUR.
It was good to see Quincey. And it was good he was here; Quincey was strong. He gave his blood to Lucy. Then, the professor gave me Lucy's note. I read it and gave it back to him. It seems a mad note to me, but the professor is worried. He doesn't think Lucy is mad. He put the note back in Lucy's pocket. Then, he took the band off Lucy's neck. The marks are still there; they almost look bigger. He covered the marks with a scarf.
Quincey and I went to talk. I told him everything. He's going to help us. He's going to sit with Lucy, too. He's going to watch her.
19th September
Last night, Lucy slept badly. She had some bad dreams. When she woke up, she was very ill. It's strange, but when she's awake, her breathing is very weak. When she's asleep, it's better. Another strange thing is her teeth. Perhaps it's only the evening light, but when she's asleep, two of her teeth look longer.
She wanted to see Arthur, so we sent a telegram. Quincey went to meet him at the station. Lucy was very happy to see him. She looked a little better, but she's still very ill.
It's now nearly midnight. Arthur and the professor are sitting with her. I'm going to sit with her at 1 o'clock. Then the others can sleep. I'm very worried about her. I don't think she's going to get better. I'm worried that she's going to die.
