Dr. Van Helsing and I went to the Berkeley Hotel. A telegram (a message sent by wire) was waiting for him. It was from Mina Harker. She said she was coming to London by train. Jonathan was in Whitby. She had important news.
The Professor was very happy. He called Mina a wonderful woman. He had to leave London soon. He told me to meet her at the station. He said she must stay at my house. I sent a message to her on the train.
Van Helsing had tea. He told me about Jonathan Harker’s journal. He gave me a typed copy of it. He also gave me Mina’s journal from Whitby. He told me to study them well. He said these papers were very important. They might help us destroy the Un-Dead (a dead person who acts like they are alive).
He told me to read everything with an open mind. He asked if I wrote down everything about these strange events. I said yes. He said we would read my diary together later. Then he drove away to the station. I went to meet Mina Harker.
The station was very crowded. I waited for my guest. A young woman with a sweet face walked up to me. She asked if I was Dr. Seward. I said yes. I told her she was Mrs. Harker. We shook hands.
She knew me from Lucy’s descriptions. She blushed. I blushed too. I helped her with her bags. She brought a typewriter (a machine used for printing letters). We took the train to my house. I sent a message to my housekeeper. I told her to prepare two rooms for Mrs. Harker.
We arrived at my house. My house is a lunatic asylum (a hospital for people with mental illnesses). Mina looked a bit afraid when we entered. She told me she wanted to talk to me later. Now I am finishing my diary. I am waiting for her. I use a phonograph (a machine that records and plays sounds) for my diary.
MINA HARKER’S JOURNAL.
29 September.—I went down to Dr. Seward’s study. I heard him talking. I waited at the door. Then I knocked. He told me to come in. He was alone. I saw a machine on his table. It was a phonograph.
I said I heard him talking. He smiled. He said he was writing his diary. I was surprised. He uses the machine for his diary. I was very interested. I said the machine was better than shorthand (a fast way of writing using signs). I asked to hear a recording.
He looked worried. He said he only kept cases in his diary. He thought it might be bad for me to hear. I told him he helped Lucy. I wanted to hear about her death. She was very dear to me.
He looked horrified. He said he could not tell me about her death. He looked for an excuse. He said he did not know how to find the right part of the recording. Then he had an idea. He said he never thought about how to find specific parts of the diary.
I told him I could copy the diary on my typewriter. He became very pale. He said no. He did not want me to know the terrible story. I knew the story was scary. I saw a lot of typed papers on his table. He saw me looking at them.
I told him he did not know me yet. I said I wrote everything in my journals. I gave him my journals to read. I told him he could trust me. He is a noble man. He opened a drawer. It was full of cylinders (round tubes for recording sound). They were covered in wax.
He said he trusted me now. He told me to listen to the cylinders. He said the first few were about his personal life. They were not scary. He said he would read my papers while I listened. He took the machine to my room.
DR. SEWARD’S DIARY.
29 September.—I read Jonathan’s journal. I also read Mina’s journal. I was very interested and I forgot the time. Mina did not come down for dinner. I told the maid to wait. I finished Mina’s journal and then she entered. She looked beautiful but very sad. She cried recently.
I felt sorry for her. I asked if I made her sad. She said no. She said my diary moved her. She heard my pain in the recording. She said the machine was very honest. She said no one should hear the recording again. She typed the words for me.
I told her no one should know my secrets. But she said everyone must know. She said the diary was part of Lucy’s story. We need all the information to kill the monster. She said we must have no secrets. We must trust each other.
I agreed with her. I told her she could help. I told her there were still terrible things to learn. We went to dinner. We must stay strong. After dinner, I told her she could learn the rest of the story.
MINA HARKER’S JOURNAL.
29 September.—After dinner, I went to Dr. Seward’s study. He brought the phonograph from my room. I brought my typewriter. He sat me in a comfortable chair. He showed me how to use the machine. He sat with his back to me. I began to listen.
The story of Lucy’s death was terrible. I felt very weak. Dr. Seward gave me some brandy. I felt better. I was happy that Lucy was finally at peace. The story was very strange. Jonathan had a scary experience in Transylvania. If I did not know his story, I would not believe this.
I told Dr. Seward I wanted to type the story now. We must be ready for Dr. Van Helsing. I sent a telegram to Jonathan. I told him to come here. I told the doctor that dates are very important. We must put everything in order.
Dr. Seward made the machine go slow. I started to type. I made three copies of the diary. It was very late when I finished. Dr. Seward worked with his patients. Then he sat near me and read. He is a very good man.
I looked at some old newspapers. I wanted to find clues. I remember that newspapers helped us in Whitby. I am not sleepy. I will work tonight.
DR. SEWARD’S DIARY.
30 September.—Mr. Harker arrived at nine o’clock. He received his wife’s message. He is a very clever man. He has a lot of energy. He is also very brave. He went into the vampire’s room twice in Transylvania. He is a quiet and professional gentleman.
Later.—Harker and his wife are in their room. They are working hard. They are putting all the information in order. Harker has letters about the boxes from Whitby. He is reading my diary now.
It is strange. The Count’s house is next to my house! We had clues from my patient, Renfield. If we knew this earlier, we could save Lucy. But I must not think about that. Harker is working on the story. He wants me to see Renfield.
Renfield is very quiet today. He looks sane. He wants to go home. He is very confident. If I did not know about the Count, I would let him go. But his behavior changes when the Count is near.
Renfield was calling the Count "master" before. He is too quiet now. I am suspicious. I told the helper to watch him. I told him to have a strait-waistcoat (a strong jacket used to stop a person from moving their arms) ready.
JONATHAN HARKER’S JOURNAL.
29 September, in the train.—I went to Whitby to find information. I want to find the Count’s boxes in London. A young man named Billington met me. I stayed at his house. His father had all the papers about the boxes.
I saw the letters again. Everything was planned perfectly. The Count was ready for everything. He did not make mistakes. There were fifty boxes of earth. They were for "experiments." I got copies of all the letters.
I went to the harbor. I talked to the officers. They talked about the strange ship. But they only knew about the fifty boxes of earth. The boxes were very heavy. I gave the workers some money for drinks.
30 September.—I went to the King’s Cross station in London. I asked about the boxes. The information was correct. Then I went to the delivery office. They showed me the papers for the house called Carfax.
I talked to the men who delivered the boxes. They said the house was very strange. No one lived there for a hundred years. There was a lot of dust. The old chapel (a small building used for prayer) was the worst part. They were afraid to stay there after dark.
I am sure all the boxes are at Carfax now. There should be fifty boxes. But Dr. Seward’s diary says some might be gone. I will try to find the driver of the boxes.
Later.—Mina and I worked all day. We put all the papers in order.
MINA HARKER’S JOURNAL.
30 September.—I am very happy. Jonathan is strong and healthy. I was afraid that the scary events would hurt him. But he is very brave and full of energy. He is a strong man. We are ready for tonight.
Later.—Lord Godalming and Mr. Morris arrived. Dr. Seward and Jonathan were out. I talked to the two men. It was a sad meeting. It reminded me of Lucy. Dr. Van Helsing told them good things about me.
The men did not know how much I knew. They were quiet. I decided to tell them everything. I gave them copies of the journals and papers. Lord Godalming was surprised. He saw the big pile of papers.
He said everyone was working very hard. He said he would help us. He said he knew I loved Lucy. Then he started to cry. Mr. Morris put a hand on his shoulder. Then Mr. Morris walked out of the room.
Lord Godalming was alone with me. He sat on the sofa and cried. I sat next to him. I held his hand. I told him I loved Lucy like a sister. I told him I wanted to be like a sister to him.
The poor man was very sad. He cried a lot. I felt very sorry for him. He put his head on my shoulder. He cried like a child. I felt like a mother. I stroked his hair.
He felt better after a while. He said he had no one to talk to about his sorrow. He thanked me for my kindness. He asked me to be like his sister forever. I said yes. He told me he would help me if I ever needed it. I promised to tell him if I needed help.
I saw Mr. Morris in the hall. He asked how Arthur was. He saw that I was crying too. He said only a woman can help a man with a broken heart. He was also very brave.
I told him I wanted to be his friend too. I told him he could come to me for comfort. He kissed my hand. Then I kissed him. He had tears in his eyes. He said I would never regret my kindness. Then he went to see his friend.