We must push on; we shall never feel happy till we get the launch in sight again.
3 November.—We heard at Fundu that the launch had gone up the Bistritza.
I wish it wasn’t so cold.
There are signs of snow coming; and if it falls heavy it will stop us.
In such case we must get a sledge and go on, Russian fashion.
4 November.—To-day we heard of the launch having been detained by an accident when trying to force a way up the rapids.
The Slovak boats get up all right, by aid of a rope and steering with knowledge.
Some went up only a few hours before.
Godalming is an amateur fitter himself, and evidently it was he who put the launch in trim again.
Finally, they got up the rapids all right, with local help, and are off on the chase afresh.
I fear that the boat is not any better for the accident; the peasantry tell us that after she got upon smooth water again, she kept stopping every now and again so long as she was in sight.
We must push on harder than ever; our help may be wanted soon.
Mina Harker’s Journal.
31 October.—Arrived at Veresti at noon.
The Professor tells me that this morning at dawn he could hardly hypnotise me at all, and that all I could say was: “dark and quiet.”
He is off now buying a carriage and horses.
He says that he will later on try to buy additional horses, so that we may be able to change them on the way.
We have something more than 70 miles before us.
The country is lovely, and most interesting; if only we were under different conditions, how delightful it would be to see it all.
If Jonathan and I were driving through it alone what a pleasure it would be.
To stop and see people, and learn something of their life, and to fill our minds and memories with all the colour and picturesqueness of the whole wild, beautiful country and the quaint people!
But, alas!—
Later.—Dr.
Van Helsing has returned. He has got the carriage and horses; we are to have some dinner, and to start in an hour.
The landlady is putting us up a huge basket of provisions; it seems enough for a company of soldiers.
The Professor encourages her, and whispers to me that it may be a week before we can get any good food again.
He has been shopping too, and has sent home such a wonderful lot of fur coats and wraps, and all sorts of warm things.
There will not be any chance of our being cold. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
We shall soon be off.
I am afraid to think what may happen to us.
We are truly in the hands of God.
He alone knows what may be, and I pray Him, with all the strength of my sad and humble soul, that He will watch over my beloved husband; that whatever may happen, Jonathan may know that I loved him and honoured him more than I can say, and that my latest and truest thought will be always for him.
CHAPTER XXVII
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 hypnotised me, and he says that 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 got 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 instinct 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 we must not break down when most of all his strength will be needed.... All is ready; we are off shortly.