Archiwum
- Index
- Alan Dean Foster The Damned 03 The Spoils of War (v1.0) (Undead)
- William Mark Simmons Undead 3 Habeas Corpses
- D B Reynolds Vampires in America 01 Raphael
- Bennett Jules SśÂ‚odka zemsta
- Charles Williams Hill Girl (1951) (pdf)
- Jeff Head Dragon's Fury 5 Eagles Talons
- Jay D. Blakeny The Sword, the Ring, and the Chalice 02 The Ring
- Diana Palmer Tajny agent
- Harry Turtledove Enchanter Completed
- Palmer Diana Dama i pastuch
- zanotowane.pl
- doc.pisz.pl
- pdf.pisz.pl
- gim12gda.pev.pl
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'How do you know it is him?'
I simply know.
I am him. He is me. I see Mina lying beside me, her face so beautiful beside
me in me soft wash of moonlight through the curtain .. . Ah no, no. I cannot
let him . . . but I cannot stop him! He must possess her. He laughs and I
cannot stop him because he controls me.'
Van Helsing's face was impassive. 'Does he speak to you? Tell you anything?'
Jonathan paused. His eyes were closed but his face worked in a way that was
terrible to see. 'He tells me nothing. He only possesses me . .. but I feel
him mocking me. As if to say, "You think you have vanquished me but I can
never die." And then Dracula uses my body to - to ravish my wife!'
I shuddered. Van Helsing said, quickly and calmly, 'And when it is over?'
'He leaves. I am myself again. Knowing I have committed a terrible sin. That
we both have!' To my horror, Jonathan opened his eyes and pointed at me. 'She
knows! She knows that it was Dracula who ravished her, not her husband! She
knew and she did not fight. She allowed it!'
I rose to my feet and stood there, so shocked I could not move. Van Helsing
gave me a swift glance and began to bring Jonathan out of the trance. 'You
will wake now. There is nothing to fear. You feel at peace ..."
Jonathan sat up suddenly, then leaned forward and dropped his face on to his
hands, uttering a long-drawn-out groan. 'My God. My God,' he said.
'You remember what you said?' Van Helsing asked.
'I remember . . . everything.'
'Madam Mina, come. Sit down,' Van Helsing said gently. 'You keep the brandy..
.
here? Sit, we shall all have a glass.'
He brought the brandy and three glasses from the sideboard, and we sipped it
in silence. Eventually Van Helsing said, 'Madam Mina, painful as the question
is, delicate as it is, I must ask it. Did you know, or suspect, or even
imagine, that your lover was not
Jonathan - but Dracula?'
'I -1 cannot answer. I am not sure.' I found, to my shock, that I could not in
honesty give a clear, 'No.' The realization of this made me redden with shame,
made Jonathan groan again and twist his head away. I said, trying to explain,
as if I could, 'I felt that
neither of us were ourselves. Outlandish as it sounds, I believe we were both
entranced in some way.' Van Helsing only nodded, but he looked graver than
ever. 'And you, also, have felt that some evil force has tried to enter you,
take over your spirit as it did your husband's? In your journal, you describe
a sound of wings ...'
'Well, yes. I have sensed such things, more than once. But I held myself
steady, and prayed, until whatever it was that tried to enter me gave up and
left me alone. And I put it down to nervous fancy. Professor, tell us the
truth! Is this all in our imaginations? Or is it... something more?'
He held my hand. 'Little girl, I have not yet an answer. That you and Jonathan
both have dreams and nightmares and bad feelings so alike - this might be no
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more than that you pick up each from the other, being so close. But I like it
not. I like it not.'
Jonathan spoke up fiercely, 'Well, what if it isn't all in our minds? Now I
can remember what happened, it seems utterly real! I was myself, yet somehow
taken over by the Count's accursed spirit, as if he were directing my actions,
laughing at me. I acted in a most beast-like, unforgivable way to my wife,
before the fit was over! How am I to live with myself, not knowing why it is
happening, or if it might happen again?' I added, 'There has been a feeling of
doom upon us, regardless of what we do to cheer ourselves.'
Van Helsing was quiet, thinking. Jonathan went on hoarsely, 'Is it possible
that these events are not in our minds at all? That Dracula's spirit - I won't
call it a soul - has somehow survived, and come for vengeance?'
As he spoke the gas lights wavered. His words sent a shudder through me. I
hoped desperately that Van Helsing would put our fears to rest, assuring us
that it was all due to memory, some condition of the brain that might be
corrected by scientific means. Instead, his noble face seemed to age five
years with worry. 'I wish I could assure you once and for all that your fears
are unfounded. But without proof, I cannot. Perhaps such a creature
Undead remains Undead for ever, in some form. And yet I cannot forget the
expression of peace on the monster's face as we delivered the final blows!
Could such an expression be a deception, the precursor of a temporary sleep
only, or knowledge that he dies not?'
'Professor, don't!' I said quickly.
He saw me tremble, and pressed his hand on mine. 'Forgive me, Madam Mina, I do
not mean so to alarm you. I am thinking aloud. But you will see, I do not take
your concerns lightly. You and your husband are not of fanciful disposition.
And we would be fools not to consider even the possibilty of some supernatural
attack upon you, though
God forbid it should be so.'
'What shall we do?'
'To begin, there are simple protections that we know are effective. All
members of the household must wear crosses. I shall have garlic sent from
Amsterdam, as before, to seal all windows and entrances to the house. And wild
rose to put upon the doors.'
As he spoke, I saw Jonathan's face working. Suddenly he jumped up and cried
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