7 September.—The first thing Van Helsing said to me when we met at Liverpool Street was:—
trust the weaker. Even if you have not kept the good practise, let me tell you that this case of our dear miss is one that may be—mind, I say may be—of such interest to us and others that Nelsonall| the The “HaveCover you saidDesign anythingBy: to ourAlyssa young friend restSignpost may not make him kick the beam, the lover of her?” as your peoples say. Take then good note of it. Nothing is too small. I counsel you, put down “No,” I said. “I waited till I had seen you, as I in record even your doubts and surmises. said in my telegram. I wrote him a letter sim- Hereafter it may be of interest to you to see ply telling him that you were coming, as Miss how true you guess. We learn from failure, not Westenra was not so well, and that I should let from success!” him know if need be.” When I described Lucy’s symptoms—the “Right, my friend,” he said, “quite right! Bet- same as before, but infinitely more marked— ter he not know as yet; perhaps he shall never he looked very grave, but said nothing. He know. I pray so; but if it be needed, then he took with him a bag in which were many shall know all. And, my good friend John, let instruments and drugs, “the ghastly parame caution you. You deal with the madmen. phernalia of our beneficial trade,” as he once All men are mad in some way or the other; called, in one of his lectures, the equipment and inasmuch as you deal discreetly with your of a professor of the healing craft. When we madmen, so deal with God’s madmen, too— were shown in, Mrs. Westenra met us. She the rest of the world. You tell not your madmen was alarmed, but not nearly so much as I exwhat you do nor why you do it; you tell them pected to find her. Nature in one of her benot what you think. So you shall keep knowl- neficent moods has ordained that even death edge in its place, where it may rest—where it has some antidote to its own terrors. Here, in may gather its kind around it and breed. You a case where any shock may prove fatal, matand I shall keep as yet what we know here, and ters are so ordered that, from some cause or here.” He touched me on the heart and on the other, the things not personal—even the terriforehead, and then touched himself the same ble change in her daughter to whom she is so way. “I have for myself thoughts at the pres- attached—do not seem to reach her. It is someent. Later I shall unfold to you.” thing like the way Dame Nature gathers round a foreign body an envelope of some insen“Why not now?” I asked. “It may do some sitive tissue which can protect from evil that good; we may arrive at some decision.” He which it would otherwise harm by contact. If stopped and looked at me, and said:— this be an ordered selfishness, then we should “My friend John, when the corn is grown, pause before we condemn any one for the vice even before it has ripened—while the milk of of egoism, for there may be deeper root for its its mother-earth is in him, and the sunshine causes than we have knowledge of. has not yet begun to paint him with his gold, I used my knowledge of this phase of spirthe husbandman he pull the ear and rub him itual pathology, and laid down a rule that she between his rough hands, and blow away the should not be present with Lucy or think of green chaff, and say to you: ‘Look! he’s good her illness more than was absolutely required. corn; he will make good crop when the time She assented readily, so readily that I saw comes.’” I did not see the application, and told again the hand of Nature fighting for life. Van him so. For reply he reached over and took my Helsing and I were shown up to Lucy’s room. If ear in his hand and pulled it playfully, as he I was shocked when I saw her yesterday, I was used long ago to do at lectures, and said: “The horrified when I saw her to-day. She was ghastgood husbandman tell you so then because ly, chalkily pale; the red seemed to have gone he knows, but not till then. But you do not even from her lips and gums, and the bones of find the good husbandman dig up his planted her face stood out prominently; her breathing corn to see if he grow; that is for the children was painful to see or hear. Van Helsing’s face who play at husbandry, and not for those who grew set as marble, and his eyebrows contake it as of the work of their life. See you now, verged till they almost touched over his nose. friend John? I have sown my corn, and Nature Lucy lay motionless, and did not seem to have has her work to do in making it sprout; if he strength to speak, so for a while we were all sprout at all, there’s some promise; and I wait silent. Then Van Helsing beckoned to me, and till the ear begins to swell.” He broke off, for he we went gently out of the room. The instant evidently saw that I understood. Then he went we had closed the door he stepped quickly on, and very gravely:— along the passage to the next door, which was open. Then he pulled me quickly in with him “You were always a careful student, and and closed the door. “My God!” he said; “this your case-book was ever more full than the is dreadful. There is no time to be lost. She will rest. You were only student then; now you are die for sheer want of blood to keep the heart’s master, and I trust that good habit have not action as it should be. There must be transfufail. Remember, my friend, that knowledge sion of blood at once. Is it you or me?” is stronger than memory, and we should not “I am younger and stronger, Professor. It
must be me.” “Then get ready at once. I will bring up my bag. I am prepared.” I went downstairs with him, and as we were going there was a knock at the hall-door. When we reached the hall the maid had just opened the door, and Arthur was stepping quickly in. He rushed up to me, saying in an eager whisper:— “Jack, I was so anxious. I read between the lines of your letter, and have been in an agony. The dad was better, so I ran down here to see for myself. Is not that gentleman Dr. Van Helsing? I am so thankful to you, sir, for coming.” When first the Professor’s eye had lit upon him he had been angry at his interruption at such a time; but now, as he took in his stalwart proportions and recognised the strong young manhood which seemed to emanate from him, his eyes gleamed. Without a pause he said to him gravely as he held out his hand:— “Sir, you have come in time. You are the lover of our dear miss. She is bad, very, very bad. Nay, my child, do not go like that.” For he suddenly grew pale and sat down in a chair almost fainting. “You are to help her. You can do more than any that live, and your courage is your best help.” “What can I do?” asked Arthur hoarsely. “Tell me, and I shall do it. My life is hers, and I would give the last drop of blood in my body for her.” The Professor has a strongly humorous side, and I could from old knowledge detect a trace of its origin in his answer:— “My young sir, I do not ask so much as that— not the last!” “What shall I do?” There was fire in his eyes, and his open nostril quivered with intent. Van Helsing slapped him on the shoulder. “Come!” he said. “You are a man, and it is a man we want. You are better than me, better than my friend John.” Arthur looked bewildered, and the Professor went on by explaining in a kindly way:— “Young miss is bad, very bad. She wants blood, and blood she must have or die. My friend John and I have consulted; and we are about to perform what we call transfusion of blood—to transfer from full veins of one to the empty veins which pine for him. John was to give his blood, as he is the more young and strong than me”—here Arthur took my hand and wrung it hard in silence—“but, now you are here, you are more good than us, old or young, who toil much in the world of thought. Our nerves are not so calm and our blood not so bright than yours!” Arthur turned to him and said:— “If you only knew how gladly I would die for her you would understand——” He stopped, with a sort of choke in his voice. “Good boy!” said Van Helsing. “In
Thursday | October 31, 2024 | Volume 98 | Issue 18
the not-so-far-off you will be happy that you have done all for her you love. Come now and be silent. You shall kiss her once before it is done, but then you must go; and you must leave at my sign. Say no word to Madame; you know how it is with her! There must be no shock; any knowledge of this would be one. Come!” We all went up to Lucy’s room. Arthur by direction remained outside. Lucy turned her head and looked at us, but said nothing. She was not asleep, but she was simply too weak to make the effort. Her eyes spoke to us; that was all. Van Helsing took some things from his bag and laid them on a little table out of sight. Then he mixed a narcotic, and coming over to the bed, said cheerily:— “Now, little miss, here is your medicine. Drink it off, like a good child. See, I lift you so that to swallow is easy. Yes.” She had made the effort with success. It astonished me how long the drug took to act. This, in fact, marked the extent of her weakness. The time seemed endless until sleep began to flicker in her eyelids. At last, however, the narcotic began to manifest its potency; and she fell into a deep sleep. When the Professor was satisfied he called Arthur into the room, and bade him strip off his coat. Then he added: “You may take that one little kiss whiles I bring over the table. Friend John, help to me!” So neither of us looked whilst he bent over her. Van Helsing turning to me, said: “He is so young and strong and of blood so pure that we need not defibrinate it.” Then with swiftness, but with absolute method, Van Helsing performed the operation. As the transfusion went on something like life seemed to come back to poor Lucy’s cheeks, and through Arthur’s growing pallor the joy of his face seemed absolutely to shine. After a bit I began to grow anxious, for the loss of blood was telling on Arthur, strong man as he was. It gave me an idea of what a terrible strain Lucy’s system must have undergone that what weakened Arthur only partially restored her. But the Professor’s face was set, and he stood watch in