low, moaning
sound from Renfield's room. The poor wretch was doubtless torturing
himself, after the manner of the insane, with needless thoughts of
pain.

I came tiptoe into our own room, and found Mina asleep, breathing so
softly that I had to put my ear down to hear it. She looks paler than
usual. I hope the meeting tonight has not upset her. I am truly
thankful that she is to be left out of our future work, and even of
our deliberations. It is too great a strain for a woman to bear. I
did not think so at first, but I know better now. Therefore I am glad
that it is settled. There may be things which would frighten her to
hear, and yet to conceal them from her might be worse than to tell her
if once she suspected that there was any concealment. Henceforth our
work is to be a sealed book to her, till at least such time as we can
tell her that all is finished, and the earth free from a monster of
the nether world. I daresay it will be difficult to begin to keep
silence after such confidence as ours, but I must be resolute, and
tomorrow I shall keep dark over tonight's doings, and shall refuse to
speak of anything that has happened. I rest on the sofa, so as not to
disturb her.

1 October, later.--I suppose it was natural that we should have all
overslept ourselves, for the day was a busy one, and the night had no
rest at all. Even Mina must have felt its exhaustion, for though I
slept till the sun was high, I was awake before her, and had to call
two or three times before she awoke. Indeed, she was so sound asleep
that for a few seconds she did not recognize me, but looked at me with
a sort of blank terror, as one looks who has been waked out of a bad
dream. She complained a little of being tired, and I let her rest
till later in the day. We now know of twenty-one boxes having been
removed, and if it be that several were taken in any of these removals
we may be able to trace them all. Such will, of course, immensely
simplify our labor, and the sooner the matter is attended to the
better. I shall look up Thomas Snelling today.

DR. SEWARD'S DIARY

1 October.--It was towards noon when I was awakened by the Professor
walking into my room. He was more jolly and cheerful than usual, and
it is quite evident that last night's work has helped to take some of
the brooding weight off his mind.

After going over the adventure of the night he suddenly said, "Your
patient interests me much. May it be t