30 September.—I arrived home at five o’clock. Lord Godalming and Quincey Morris were already there. They read all the journals and letters. Jonathan Harker was still away. Mina Harker gave us tea. The house felt like a real home for the first time.
Mina Harker asked for a favor. She wanted to see the patient, Mr. Renfield. Dr. Seward took her to his room. Mr. Renfield tidied his room quickly. He swallowed all his flies and spiders. Dr. Seward was worried. He stood near Mina Harker to protect her.
Mina Harker spoke to Mr. Renfield kindly. She shook his hand. Mr. Renfield looked at her with a frown. Then he looked surprised. He asked if she was the girl Dr. Seward wanted to marry. Mina Harker smiled. She said she was already married to Jonathan Harker.
Mr. Renfield told her to leave the house. He was very serious. He spoke like a polite gentleman. He talked about philosophy. Dr. Seward was very surprised. He never heard Mr. Renfield talk this way. It was very strange.
Mina Harker talked to him about his beliefs. Mr. Renfield explained his old ideas. He used to think he could live forever. He ate living things to get more life. He even tried to kill Dr. Seward once. He said that "the blood is the life." Dr. Seward said it was time to go. Mina Harker said goodbye. Mr. Renfield said a strange thing. He hoped he never saw her again. He asked God to bless her.
Dr. Seward went to the station. Dr. Van Helsing arrived on the train. He was very excited. He asked about Mina Harker and Jonathan Harker. He asked about Lord Godalming and Quincey Morris. He wanted to see everyone.
Dr. Seward told him about the typed journals. Dr. Van Helsing praised Mina Harker. He said she was very smart. But he said she must stop this work now. He did not want her to be in danger. He wanted the men to finish the job alone.
They talked about the Count's house. It was the house next to the asylum. Dr. Van Helsing was very worried. He wished they knew this sooner. They could have saved Lucy. But they decided to focus on the future. They walked to the house together.
Mina Harker’s Journal.
30 September.—The group met in Dr. Seward’s study after dinner. We formed a board (a group of people who make important decisions). Dr. Van Helsing sat at the head of the table. I was the secretary. I wrote down everything. Jonathan Harker sat next to me.
Dr. Van Helsing talked about vampires. He said they were real. He said the Count was very strong. The Count was as strong as twenty men. He was very smart because he was very old. He could use magic to talk to the dead.
The Count could change his shape. He could become a wolf or a bat. He could control the weather. He could command rats and owls. He could become very small. He could also vanish. He was a very dangerous enemy.
Dr. Van Helsing warned the group. If we failed, we would become vampires too. We would lose our souls forever. But we must do our duty. Jonathan Harker held my hand. He was very brave. All the men promised to help.
The group made a compact (a very serious and formal promise). We all held hands. Dr. Van Helsing put his golden crucifix (a cross with a figure of Jesus) on the table. We promised to destroy the Count. My heart was cold, but I was not afraid.
Dr. Van Helsing talked about the Count's limits. A vampire cannot enter a house unless someone invites him. His power stops during the day. He can only change his shape at sunrise, noon, or sunset. He cannot cross water easily.
There are things that hurt vampires. Garlic and holy things like the crucifix are powerful. A branch of a wild rose can keep a vampire in his coffin. A stake (a sharp piece of wood) through the heart can kill him. We already knew about the stake.
Dr. Van Helsing told us about the Count's past. The Count was a brave soldier long ago. He was a very smart man. He learned secrets from the devil. He was a great leader, but now he was a monster. He came from a noble family.
Quincey Morris looked at the window. He left the room quietly. Suddenly, a gun fired outside. A bullet broke the window glass. I screamed. The men stood up quickly. Quincey Morris came back inside.
He said he saw a big bat on the window. He tried to shoot it, but the bat flew away. He said he hated bats because of Lucy. He asked for my pardon. He did not want to frighten me.
Dr. Van Helsing continued the plan. We must find all the boxes of earth. We must kill the monster in his house. He told me I must stay safe. I must not help with the dangerous work anymore. The men wanted to protect me.
I was sad, but I agreed. The men decided to go to the Count's house right away. Quincey Morris said they must act fast. Time was very important. I went to my room to pretend to sleep.
Dr. Seward’s Diary.
1 October, 4 a.m.—A message came for me. Mr. Renfield wanted to see me immediately. Dr. Seward told the others to wait. Dr. Van Helsing and the other men went with him. They wanted to see the patient.
Mr. Renfield was very excited. He was very smart and calm. He asked Dr. Seward to let him leave the asylum. He said he was sane now. He even knew Lord Godalming's father. He spoke to everyone with respect.
Dr. Seward did not want to let him go. He knew Mr. Renfield changed his mind quickly. He said he would talk to him in the morning. Mr. Renfield was not happy. He wanted to leave right now. He said time was moving fast.
He begged the men. He said he had good reasons to leave. He said it was for the safety of others. Dr. Van Helsing asked him for the real reason. Mr. Renfield could not say. He said he was not his own master.
Dr. Seward started to leave. Mr. Renfield became very upset. He fell on his knees. He cried and begged. He asked them to save his soul from guilt. He said he was fighting for his soul. He was very desperate.
Dr. Seward told him to go to bed. Mr. Renfield stopped crying. He sat on his bed quietly. He told Dr. Seward to remember this night later. He said he tried his best to convince them. Then we left the room.