DRACULA .

CHAPTER ONE.
My dear Jonathan Harker, I have booked’ a seat for you on the public carriage² to Bukovina. It leaves at
three o’clock in the morning. My own carriage will be waiting for you at the Borgo Pass. Welcome to my
beautiful land, Your friend,

Dracula.

Jonathan Harker’s diary.

5 May. Here was I, a young English lawyer³, alone in a strange land, amongst the hard dark shapes of an
enormous castle, waiting alone outside a huge door… The door opened. A tall old man stood inside,
holding a lamp. He was dressed all in black with a deathly white face, and a hand, as it took mine, as cold
as ice.

“I am Dracula. Come Mr Harker, you must eat and rest,” he said courteously, and led me up several
flights of stone steps to a well-lit room warmed by a wood fire. Supper was ready on the table. My fears
and doubts receded. I handed the Count a letter from my boss, Mr Hawkins. He read it carefully and
invited me to sit down. He watched me eat the delicious meal, making sure my glass was full of fine
wine, and asked me about my journey.

The Count has a strong face, with a rather cruel mouth. When he smiles, his sharp white teeth are like a
cat’s. His fingernails are cut to a sharp point. Once, he leaned’ close to me; the smell of his breath was
horrible.

I saw the first grey of dawn’ outside. In the valley wolves were howling. “What sweet music,” said the
Count listening, bright-eyed. He got up. “Please sleep, Mr Harker. I will be out until late afternoon.” He
left the room. I felt strangely afraid.

I met the Count later in his small library of books about London. “I wish to live in London, to lose myself
in its crowds, sharing their lives, a stranger in a strange land… to be free. Here everyone knows me. Tell
me about the house you have bought for me: Carfax – an interesting name.”

I brought the papers from my room and gave him the details of the large and rather gloomy house, and
of the hospital for mad people next door. The Count signed the papers, said, “You may go where you
wish in the castle, Mr Harker, except where the doors are locked”, and left the room.

Later, I met the Count for supper. He said he had Eaten earlier, and talked to me as I ate.

8 May. There is something terribly strange about this place. Sometimes I have the feeling that I am the
only living person here.

As I was shaving this morning I felt a hand on my I jumped, shocked. Mine was the only reflection in the
little shaving mirror. I turned and saw the Count right behind me. I had cut my neck slightly when I
jumped. As soon as the Count saw the blood he seized my throat, but when his hand touched the cross
around my neck he snatched it back with a fleeting, wild, angry look in his eyes.

“Please try not to cut yourself,” he said, taking my mirror and throwing it out of the window. He left
without another word.

Later on I went exploring. Upstairs I found a room facing south. The castle sits like a bird on the edge of
a dark rock.

The cliff below falls sheer for hundreds of metres. When I tried to explore further, door after door was
locked. I realised that I was a prisoner!

Back in my bedroom I found the Count making my bed. So there are no servants here. I touch the cross
around my neck. Why do I feel more comfortable when I touch it?

12 May. I will begin with facts. Last night the Count asked me endless questions about taking his things
to England by ship.

“Have you written to anyone? No? Then write now to Mr Hawkins to say you will be here another
month.” My blood ran³ cold.

Later, I went up to the room that looked south. I looked out at the mountains in the silvery moonlight.
How beautiful. Then I looked down. The Count was just climbing out of a window below, and crawling
head-first down the wall, his cloak’ spread out like wings! A horrible bat-like animal! Am I going mad?
God, help me!

25 June, morning. Heavy carriages have been coming to the castle carrying large wooden boxes. Digging
has been going on for several days now. I must do something before it is too late! I am sure the Count
sleeps during the day. I will climb the wall to his room. I may fall, but I feel that I will die here anyway.

With God’s help, I came back. I braved that awful drop² and reached the Count’s room. It was empty,
but a door led down to a dark chapel. The wooden boxes were there, full of earth. I counted fifty. Inside
one of the boxes was the Count! His staring eyes were stonelike, but when I reached to search for some
keys in his pocket, I saw such hate and evil’ in those eyes that I turned and ran!

29 June. The Count woke me and, looking at me very seriously, said, “Tomorrow you will go.” Now I
know that my end will be tomorrow. Please God, help me! As I write they are closing the boxes and
putting them on to the carriages. I must escape before dark. I will climb the wall – much further than
before. Better to fall than to die in this dreadful castle.

CHAPTER TWO.
Miss Mina Murray-engaged to marry Jonathan Harker. Miss Lucy Westenra-close friend of Mina Murray.
Dr John Seward – runs the asylum next to Carfax House, and is in love with Lucy Westenra.

Professor Van Helsing – Dr Seward’s friend from Amsterdam. Dr Seward has asked Lucy to marry him,
but her refusal of his unexpected proposal has upset the doctor. He turns more intently to his work.

Mina Murray’s diary.

24 July, Whitby. Lucy met me at the station looking lovelier than ever. Whitby is a beautiful old seaside
town, but I can’t help’ worrying about Jonathan. Where is he? Why hasn’t he written?

A ship carrying a strange cargo has run aground? Here, and a creature was seen running away from the
beach, up towards the church. It is getting dark.

26 July. Lucy has started walking in her sleep again. I must lock the door of our room tonight.

Night. I woke suddenly at about 1 a.m. Lucy’s bed was empty and the door was open. So too was the
front door. I looked across the port to the church on the hill. Lucy’s nightdress shone³ white in the
moonlight from a seat near the church. I ran there in time to see a tall dark shape bending over her. I
shouted. A white face and shining red eyes turned to me. When I reached Lucy, I found her asleep and
alone. She stirred¹ and pulled her collar up around her throat. I shook her awake and, quietly, she
followed me home.

17 August. Still no news from Jonathan, and I am very worried about Lucy. She is growing” paler and
weaker every day. Fifty boxes are sent by train to Carfax, and are put in the chapel of the house.

Lucy Westenra’s diary.

25 August. Mina has gone to see Jonathan at Budapest. He is only a shadow of himself. The nurse there
said he had screamed for days, but she refused to say what about, and crossed’ herself. Jonathan had
written everything in a diary but does not know if it was only a madman’s dreams. Jonathan and Mina
were married in Budapest as soon as Jonathan was well enough. I am happy for them, but I feel weak,
and my throat hurts. It is difficult to breathe.

Dr Seward’s diary.
2 September. I received a note yesterday saying that Lucy is sick². I went to see her in Whitby. She
looked very pale and weak. I suspect the trouble³ may be in her mind. I have written to my old friend
and teacher, Professor Van Helsing in Amsterdam, asking him to come straight away.

3 September. Van Helsing came and found nothing, but he is very worried, and said he would come back
at once if necessary. Lucy seemed much better.

4 September. Lucy is much worse! Van Helsing has come. We found Lucy almost lifeless. The Professor
said she would die if she did not have blood immediately. It was I who gave it to her, and we watched
the life slowly returning to this poor girl.

Van Helsing had loosened her collar, and I heard him gasp”: he pointed to two small wounds’ on her
throat.

“There are things I need from Amsterdam. While I’m away you must keep watch over her every night.
Do not sleep. Do not even leave the room!”

11 September. Lucy is getting better. The Professor came back with a packet of evil’ smelling white garlic
flowers. Carefully, he wiped the flowers round the edges of the window and the door. I watched in
disbelief. Van Helsing fixed some flowers round Lucy’s neck, and muttered”, “Tonight we will all sleep in
peace.”
20 September. I sit with Lucy. She tears* at the flowers. Put them back in place. Her teeth seem longer
and sharper.

Van Helsing came at 6 a.m.. He discovered that the wounds on her neck were gone. “Her end is near,”
he said quietly.

Lucy opened her eyes one last time. “John,” she said, her voice soft and sweet, “John, kiss me.” I bent
forward, but Van Helsing pulled me back just as her teeth closed hard together, her eyes like fire. A few
moments afterwards she left us forever…

“Her pain is over”,” I said. “No. This is only the beginning,” Van Helsing replied.

Later, when I went to see her in her coffin, she had so much colour and looked so beautiful, her lips so
red!

Mina Harker’s diary.

22 September. Jonathan and I were back in London. In Piccadilly, Jonathan stopped in terror, staring at a
tall thin man dressed in black, standing across the street. “It’s him! Dracula!” he cried. I am afraid for his
mind. I must read his diary. And poor Lucy, she lies in peace now inside her family’s tomb, near
Hampstead.

From ‘The Times’ (25 September)

“The White Lady’ – a Hampstead Mystery. Several children were lost on Hampstead Heath in the
evening. When they were found, they all had wounds on the neck, like the bite of a rat or a dog, and
were very weak. Strangely, they all told of being carried away by “The White Lady”.

Dr Seward’s diary.
26 September. Van Helsing rushed into my office and threw down a copy of The Times. “The White
Lady!” he exclaimed, “Hampstead Heath! Lucy is buried² nearby! John, it’s her!...

At 10 p.m., we reluctantly opened the rusty* iron door to the tomb and went inside. To my horror, by
the light of the oil lamp, I saw that Lucy’s coffin’ was empty. “Come,” said Van Helsing. We hid outside
behind a tree, and waited.

After an hour we saw a ghostly white shape move quickly towards the tomb. It stopped and looked in
our direction. It was Lucy, holding a child in her arms. Her bloodstained’ lips opened in a horrible smile.
She threw the child on the ground and moved towards me. “Come to me, John,” she said in a sweet
musical voice that turned my heart to ice, “Come, and we can rest together.” Van Helsing stepped
between us, holding out his cross, and she jumped back, eyes burning with hate, and became a cloud of
shining dust which disappeared under the door of the tomb.

“She is un-dead, John,” said Van Helsing, “Tomorrow we must kill her…”

27 September. There she lay, looking more beautiful than ever. “No, John,” Van Helsing said, “This is not
Lucy. She is a Vampire. Only this second death will set her soul’ free.” He handed me a stake to hold
against her heart, and brought down the hammer with all his strength. The Thing let out a horrible
scream and at last became still. Lying there was the Lucy I knew, a look of complete peace on her face.
Her soul was free at last, dear God.

30 September. I met with Professor Van Helsing, Jonathan Harker, and his wife, Mina, in my office today.
The Professor pointed out the terrible strengths of Vampires, but also the weaknesses. We now know
that some of the fifty boxes delivered to Carfax have been taken away. Tomorrow we will enter the
house. A large bat is clinging outside the window. I get up, and it flies away.

1 October,5 a.m. We three men climbed the wall and went straight to the chapel. The Professor gave us
each a silver cross, a necklace of garlic flowers, a gun, and a bottle of Holy Water. We forced the door
open. The boxes were inside – only twenty nine of the fifty. I thought I saw a face! Red eyes! In a corner,
a cloud of dust shining like millions of stars, growing larger and larger, and becoming rats! Thousands of
rats were about us. “We must find the other boxes,” said Van Helsing, as we retreated from the enemy.
Harker found Mina asleep in her room. She was difficult to wake, and extremely pale!

Mina Harker’s diary.

1 October. My sleep was disturbed. A white fog moved outside my window. I dreamt that the air around
me was cold and damp. It grew heavier and thicker, and I saw two red eyes looking out of it. A white
face leaning down over me… Oh, I hope I never dream like that again!

Dr Seward’s diary.
2 October. Yesterday, Jonathan traced’ the missing boxes to various addresses around London. Today,
Van Helsing is in the British Museum. He says we must sterilise every single box with Holy Water
between sunrise and sunset, so that the enemy will have nowhere to go.

Early this morning, Van Helsing told us his plan. “First, we will sterilise the boxes in Carfax; then, John
and I will go to a house in Piccadilly where there are more boxes, while you, Jonathan, will go to the
houses where the remainder² are stored and deal with’ them before coming to meet us in Piccadilly.

We told Mina that the danger was at night. If we did not return before dark, she should sleep with garlic
flowers about her neck.

At Carfax, we worked quickly, opening the boxes, and pouring Holy Water on the evil smelling earth
within. The enemy will rest here no more.

By 12.30 p.m. we were inside the house in Piccadilly. We dealt with the boxes there, but there were only
eight instead of the nine we had expected. We had to find the missing box. Jonathan arrived.

“There were six boxes at each house,” he said, “I sterilised them all.” “All he needs is that one missing
box,” said Van Helsing, worried.

Jonathan Harker’s diary.

4 October. Just before dawn, Mina made me fetch Van Helsing.

“My dreams were not dreams at all. He has come to me. Hypnotise me, Professor, now, before dawn. I
feel I may be able to tell you something. Do it now…
“Where are you?” asked the professor. “I don’t know. It is dark.” “What do you hear?” “Water, small
waves on the outside.” “Are you on a ship?” “Yes, I can hear men working above me. I am lying very still.
It is like being dead!”

“We must find that ship,” Van Helsing said, “He is escaping!”

5 October. We traced the ship, but it had left for Easter Europe already. It will take three weeks to reach
Varna.

The four of us can be there in three days. We will go there and prepare a reception’ for the Count!
Through hypnosis, Mina is our link², but already she feels the poison in her blood.

28 October. The Count has fooled³ us. He has come in by another port, Galatz, not Varna. We are a day
behind him!

Mina Harker’s diary.

30 October,evening. They came back tired and almost without hope. I pointed out that the box was still
on water, probably a river. One of the rivers from Galatz joins another that runs down from the Borgo
Pass, as near as a boat can get to Castle Dracula.

The Professor kissed me! “If we can catch him by day our work will be quickly finished. Jonathan and
John, I want you to pursue him by boat. Mrs Harker and I will ride straight to the castle while he is still
trapped inside his box.” 22

Jonathan jumped up, terrified for my safety. I put my arms around my poor husband and tried to calm
him. I must be brave. I may never see Jonathan again.

Note by Van Helsing

(4 November, early morning)

This letter is to my good friend Dr Seward in case we never meet again. I sit next to the fire that has
been burning all night. The snow falls thick and fast.

Mina is no longer herself. She slept all day, but woke, as sweet and bright as ever, when the sun went
down. After sunset, she happily helps me to make a fire, but will not eat, and stares at me quietly with
bright eyes. I am so afraid, John. So afraid.

5 November, morning. We saw the dark broken lines of the castle, like teeth against the setting sun.
That night, I drew² a circle on the ground around us with Holy Water. Later on, the horses became
nervous. Just before dawn, as the fire was beginning to die, I noticed a fog coming slowly towards us
through the falling snow. I watched it change into the shape of three women, with hard bright eyes and
shining teeth. “Come, Sister, come,” they called, laughing. With the first light of day they disappeared
into their evil fog and floated’ away. I watched the snow falling on our dead horses.

5 November, afternoon. I left Mina sleeping inside the circle and, taking what I needed, I went into the
castle. In the half darkness of the chapel, I lifted the top off a coffin: one of the three women. Beautiful. I
weakened. I began to feel sleepy then a sharp cry from outside broke the silence. It was Mina, screaming
in her sleep. She saved me. I can still hear the horrible screams of the monsters as I hammered the
stakes into their hearts, and I can see the sudden look of peace and happiness as they fell into the sleep
of the dead.. I found a larger coffin with one word written on it: Dracula. I poured Holy Water inside,
shutting the King Vampire out of his home forever.

Mina Harker’s diary.

6 November. We walked down the mountain, but I soon felt so tired that I had to stop and rest. We
found a place in the rocks and the Professor prepared his gun. Looking down the mountain, I saw men
on horses riding around a carriage with a large box on it. It was almost night. Then the thing in the box
would fly away and disappear for centuries.

Further down, two men were riding fast up the road below: Jonathan and John! They reached’ the men
around the carriage as it came level with us. Jonathan jumped onto the carriage. My heart nearly
stopped when a man came up behind him with a knife, but the Professor shot him just in time! John
jumped up too, and they began forcing the top off the box. The sun was disappearing behind the
mountains. There were only seconds left … and then the lid came off!

Deathly white, the Count lay inside, trapped in the dying shadows of the day. I will never forget the look
of hate in those evil red eyes as Jonathan’s knife plunged’ into his heart. Nor² will I forget the look of
peace and – yes, thankfulness³! – that came over the monster’s face as his body turned into grey dust.
And I am free.

***************