5 May

W hen the carriage stopped, the driver jumped down and held out his hand to assist me to exit. Again, I could not but notice his enormous strength. His hand actually seemed like it could have crushed mine if he had chosen. Then he took my bags and placed them on the ground beside me. As I stood, the driver jumped again into his seat and shook the reins. The horses started forward, and carriage and all disappeared down one of the dark openings.

Of bell or knocker there was no sign. The time I waited seemed endless, and I felt doubts and fears crowding upon me.What sort of grim adventure was it on which I had embarked ?Was this a customary incident in the life of a solicitor sent out to explain the purchase of a London estate to a foreigner?

All I could do now was to be patient, and to wait the coming of morning.

Just as I had come to this conclusion I heard a heavy step approaching behind the great door. Then there was the sound of rattling chains and of massive bolts being drawn back. A key was turned and the great door swung back.

Within, stood a tall old man, clean- shaven save for a long white moustache, and dressed in black from head to foot,without a single spot of color about him anywhere. He held in his hand an antique silver lamp.

The old man motioned me in with his right hand with a courtly gesture, saying in excellent English, but with a strange accent, “Welcome to my house! Enter freely and of your own free will!”

The instant I stepped over the threshold , he moved impulsively forward, and holding out his hand, grasped mine. It seemed cold as ice, more like the hand of a dead than a living man. The strength of the handshake was so similar to that which I had noticed in the driver, whose face I had not seen, that for a moment I doubted if it were not the same person to whom I was speaking. So to make sure, I said questioningly , “Count Dracula?”

He bowed in a courtly way as he replied, “I am Dracula,and I bid you welcome, Mr. Harker, to my house. Come in, the night air is chill, and you must need to eat and rest.” As he was speaking, he put the lamp on a bracket on the wall, and stepping out, took my luggage.

I protested, but he insisted.

“No, sir, you are my guest. It is late, and my people are not available. Let me see to your comfort myself.”

He insisted on carrying my bags along the passage, and then up a great winding stair, and along another great passage,on whose stone floor our steps rang heavily. Finally, we reached what was to be my room. It was a welcome sight, for it was well lighted and warmed with a log fire.

The Count himself left my luggage inside and withdrew,saying, before he closed the door, “When you are ready, come into the other room, where you will find your supper prepared.”

The light and warmth and the Count's courteous welcome seemed to have dissipated all my doubts and fears. Having then reached my normal state, I discovered that I was starving with hunger.

I went into the other room and found supper already laid out. My host, who stood on one side of the great fireplace,leaning against the stonework , made a graceful wave of his hand to the table, and said, “I pray you, be seated and dine how you please. You will I trust, excuse me that I do not join you, but I have dined already.”

During the time I was eating, the Count asked me many question as to my journey, and I told him by degrees all I had experienced. After supper, I and my host drew up seats by the fire and continued with conversation.

I had now an opportunity of observing him, and found him of a very distinguished appearance. His face had a thin nose and peculiarly arched nostrils, with a high forehead, and hair growing only here and there round the temples. His eyebrows were very massive, almost meeting over the nose. The mouth,so far as I could see it under the heavy moustache, was fixed and rather cruel-looking, with peculiarly sharp white teeth.These stuck out over the lips, whose remarkable red color showed astonishing vitality in a man of his years. They made a great contrast to his very white skin. His fingers had long, fine nails, cut to a sharp point.

As the Count leaned over me and his hands touched me,I could not help but tremble. It may have been that his breath was rank, but a horrible feeling of sickness came over me, which I could not conceal. The Count, evidently noticing it, drew back.And with a grim sort of smile, which showed more than he had yet done his teeth, sat himself down again on his own side of the fireplace.

We were both silent for a while, and as I looked towards the window, I saw the first dim streak of the coming dawn. There seemed a strange stillness over everything. But as I listened, I heard as if from down below in the valley the howling of many wolves.

The Count's eyes gleamed , and he said, “Listen to them,the children of the night. What music they make!”

Then he rose and said, “But you must be tired. Your bedroom is all ready, and tomorrow you shall sleep as late as you will. I have to be away till the afternoon, so sleep well and dream well!”

With a courteous bow, he opened for me himself the door to the bedroom, and I entered.

I am all in a sea of wonders. I doubt. I fear. God keep me, if only for the sake of those dear to me!

7 May

I slept till late in the day, and awoke of my own accord.When I had dressed myself, I went into the room where we had dined and found a cold breakfast laid out, with coffee kept hot by the pot being placed on the hearth .

I have not yet seen a servant anywhere, or heard a sound near the castle except the howling of wolves.

Some time after I had finished my meal, I opened another door in the room and found a sort of library. In the library I found a vast number of English books, whole shelves full of them, and bound volumes of magazines and newspapers. The books were all relating to England and English life and customs and manners.

Whilst I was looking at the books, the door opened, and the Count entered. He saluted me in a hearty way, and hoped that I had had a good night's rest.

“I am glad you found your way in here, for I am sure there is much that will interest you. These companions,” and he laid his hand on some of the books, “have been good friends to me,and for some years past, ever since I had the idea of going to London. Through them I have come to know your great England. I long to go through the crowded streets of mighty London, to be in the midst of the whirl and rush of humanity, to share its life, its change, its death, and all that makes it what it is. But, unfortunately, I only know your tongue through books.”

“But, Count,” I said, “You know and speak English thoroughly!”

He bowed gravely.

“I thank you, my friend, for your all too flattering estimate,but yet I fear that I am but a little way on the road I would travel. You shall, I trust, rest here with me a while, so that by our talking I may learn the English accent.”

I agreed to help him with his English and asked if I might come into that room when I chose. He answered, “Yes,certainly,” and added, “You may go anywhere you wish in the castle, except where the doors are locked, where of course you will not wish to go. We are in Transylvania, not England. Our ways are not your ways, and there shall be to you many strange things.”

This led to much conversation, and as it was evident that he wanted to talk, if only for talking's sake, I asked him many questions regarding things that had already happened to me or come within my notice.

Regarding the blue flames I had seen along the roadside ,he explained that it was commonly believed that on a certain night of the year, when all evil spirits are supposed to be free, a blue flame is seen over any place where treasure has been concealed.

“That treasure has been hidden,” he went on, “in the region through which you came last night, there can be but little doubt. For it was the ground fought over for centuries by the Wallachian, the Saxon, and the Turk. Why, there is hardly a foot of soil in all this region that has not been enriched by the blood of men, patriots or invaders .”

He then broke off and changed the subject.

“Come, tell me of London and of the house which you have obtained for me.”

Immediately, I went into my own room to get the papers from my bag. When I returned, he cleared the books and papers from the table, and with him I went into plans and deeds and figures of all sorts. He was interested in everything, and asked me a number of questions about the place and its surroundings.I described the property to him.

“The estate is called Carfax. It contains in all some twenty acres , quite surrounded by a solid stone wall. There are but few houses close at hand, one being a very large house only recently added to and formed into a private hospital for the mentally ill.”

When I had finished, he expressed his pleasure with the description and then, with an excuse, he left me, asking me to pull my papers together. He was some little time away, and I began to look at some of the books around me. One was an atlas , which I found opened naturally to England, as if that map had been much used. On looking at it, I found in certain places little rings marked; and on examining these, I noticed that one was near London on the east side, manifestly where his new estate was situated . The other two were Exeter and Whitby on the Yorkshire.

It was the better part of an hour when the Count returned.

“Come! I am informed that your supper is ready.”

He took my arm, and we went into the next room, where I found an excellent supper ready on the table. The Count again excused himself, as he had dined out on his being away from home.

After supper I smoked and the Count stayed with me,chatting and asking questions on every conceivable subject,hour after hour. I felt that it was getting very late indeed, but I did not say anything, for I felt under obligation to meet my host's wishes in every way.

All at once, we heard the crow of the cock coming up through the clear morning air.

Count Dracula, jumping to his feet, said, “Why there is the morning again! How rude I am to let you stay up so long.” And with a courtly bow, he quickly left me.

I went into my room and drew the curtains, but there was little to notice. My window opened into the courtyard, all I could see was the warm gray of quickening sky. So I pulled the curtains again, and have written of this day.

8 May

There is something very strange about this place and all in it that I cannot but feel uneasy. I wish I were safe out of it, or that I had never come. I fear I am myself the only living soul within the place.

I only slept a few hours when I went to bed, and feeling that I could not sleep anymore, got up. I had hung my shaving glass by the window, and was just beginning to shave. Suddenly,I felt a hand on my shoulder, and heard the Count's voice saying to me, “Good morning.” I started, for it amazed me that I had not seen him, since the reflection of the glass covered the whole room behind me.

In starting I had cut myself slightly, but did not notice it at the moment. Having answered the Count's greeting, I turned to the glass again to see how I had been mistaken. This time there could be no error, for the man was close to me, and I could see him over my shoulder. But there was no reflection of him in the mirror!

At the instant I saw the cut had bled a little, and the blood was trickling over my chin. I laid down the razor, turning as I did so half round to look for some plaster. When the Count saw my face, his eyes blazed with a sort of wild fury , and he suddenly made a grab at my throat. I drew away and his hand touched my necklace which held the cross. It made an instant change in him, for the fury passed so quickly that I could hardly believe that it was ever there. “Take care,” he said, “take care how you cut yourself. It is more dangerous than you think in this country.” Then, seizing the shaving glass, he went on, “And this is the wretched thing that has done the mischief . Away with it!”And opening the window with one wrench of his terrible hand,he threw it out. Then he withdrew without a word.

When I went into the dining room, breakfast was prepared,but I could not find the Count anywhere. So I breakfasted alone. It is strange that as yet I have not seen the Count eat or drink.

After breakfast I did a little exploring in the castle. I went out on the stairs, and found a room looking towards the South.The view was magnificent. The castle is on the very edge of a terrific cliff. A stone falling from the window would fall a thousand feet without touching anything!

When I had seen the view, I explored further. Doors, doors,doors everywhere, and all locked and bolted. In no place, save from the windows in the castle walls, is there an available exit.The castle is like a prison, and I am its prisoner!

actually /ˈæktʃʊəlɪ/ adv. 竟然；事实上

knocker /ˈnɒkə/ n. 门环，门扣

grim /ɡrɪm/ adj. 可怕的，严酷的

embark /ɪmˈbɑ:k/ vi. 面临，从事

customary /ˈkʌstəmərɪ/ adj. 习惯的，惯例的

solicitor /səˈlɪsɪtə/ n. 律师，法律顾问

rattling /ˈrætlɪŋ/ adj. 噼啪作响的；活泼的

shaven /ˈʃeɪvən/ adj. 修过脸的，刮过脸的

courtly /ˈkɔ:tlɪ/ adj. 尊严而有礼貌的；奉承的

threshold /ˈθreʃhəʊld/ n. 门槛；入口，门口

impulsively /ɪmˈpʌlsɪvlɪ/ adv. 主动地，有推动力地

handshake /ˈhændʃeɪk/ n. 握手，交换

questioningly / ˈkwestʃənɪŋlɪ/ a dv. 疑问地，怀疑地

bracket /ˈbrækɪt/ n. 支架；括弧

courteous /ˈkɜ:tɪəs/ adj. 谦逊的，有礼貌的

dissipate /ˈdɪsɪpeɪt/ vt. 驱散，消散

stonework /ˈstəʊnwɜ:k/ n. 石墙；石雕工艺

arched /ɑ:tʃt/ adj. 弓形的，有拱的

eyebrow /ˈaɪbraʊ/ n. 眼眉，眉毛

vitality /vaɪˈtælətɪ/ n. 活力，生命力

gleam /ɡli:m/ vi. 闪烁，隐约地闪现

hearth /hɑ:θ/ n. 壁炉，炉边

hearty /ˈhɑ:tɪ/ adj. 友善的，亲切的，衷心的

mighty /ˈmaɪtɪ/ adj. 繁华的；强大的

midst /mɪdst/ n. 中间，中部

whirl /hwɜ:l/ n. 一连串的活动；旋转

roadside /ˈrəʊdsaɪd/ n. 路旁，路边

enrich / ɪnˈrɪtʃ / vt. 使富足；装饰

patriot /ˈpætrɪət/ n. 爱国者，爱国主义者

invader /ɪnˈveɪdə/ n. 侵略者，侵入者

acre 英亩，1英亩= 0.004047平方千米

atlas /ˈætləs/ n. 地图，地图集

manifestly /ˈmænɪfestlɪ/ adv. 显然地，明白地

situate /ˈsɪtjʊeɪt/ vt. 使位于，使处于

conceivable /kənˈsi:vəbl/ adj. 想得到的，可能的

crow /krəʊ/ n. 鸡鸣

quickening /ˈkwɪkənɪŋ/ adj. 复生的；活泼的

trickle /ˈtrɪkl/ vi. 滴，流

blaze /bleɪz/ vi. 闪烁，闪耀

fury /ˈfjʊərɪ/ n. 狂怒，狂暴

wretched /ˈretʃɪd/ adj. 肮脏的，恶劣的

mischief /ˈmɪstʃɪf/ n. 伤害，危害

wrench /rentʃ/ n. 猛扭，扭曲

terrifc /təˈrɪfɪk/ adj. 可怕的，令人恐怖的

foot 英尺，1英尺= 0.304 8米

explore /ɪksˈplɔ:/ vi. 探究，探测 LWFShEfuXMS+FX5VSyVLgApHaGp8i9GNblHI0o6P1GeNJE208IiMcpFiGQTUpoVg