ecomes
conscious, after the operation."

I said, "I think that will do now, Simmons. We have done all that we
can at present. You had better go your round, and Dr. Van Helsing
will operate. Let me know instantly if there be anything unusual
anywhere."

The man withdrew, and we went into a strict examination of the
patient. The wounds of the face were superficial. The real injury
was a depressed fracture of the skull, extending right up through the
motor area.

The Professor thought a moment and said, "We must reduce the pressure
and get back to normal conditions, as far as can be. The rapidity of
the suffusion shows the terrible nature of his injury. The whole
motor area seems affected. The suffusion of the brain will increase
quickly, so we must trephine at once or it may be too late."

As he was speaking there was a soft tapping at the door. I went over
and opened it and found in the corridor without, Arthur and Quincey in
pajamas and slippers; the former spoke, "I heard your man call up Dr.
Van Helsing and tell him of an accident. So I woke Quincey or rather
called for him as he was not asleep. Things are moving too quickly
and too strangely for sound sleep for any of us these times. I've
been thinking that tomorrow night will not see things as they have
been. We'll have to look back, and forward a little more than we have
done. May we come in?"

I nodded, and held the door open till they had entered, then I closed
it again. When Quincey saw the attitude and state of the patient, and
noted the horrible pool on the floor, he said softly, "My God! What
has happened to him? Poor, poor devil!"

I told him briefly, and added that we expected he would recover
consciousness after the operation, for a short time, at all events.
He went at once and sat down on the edge of the bed, with Godalming
beside him. We all watched in patience.

"We shall wait," said Van Helsing, "just long enough to fix the best
spot for trephining, so that we may most quickly and perfectly remove
the blood clot, for it is evident that the haemorrhage is increasing."

The minutes during which we waited passed with fearful slowness. I
had a horrible sinking in my heart, and from Van Helsing's face I
gathered that he felt some fear or apprehension as to what was to
come. I dreaded the words Renfield might speak. I was positively
afraid to think. But the conviction of what was coming was on me, as
I have read of men who h