the moment in your so great Port of London. Which of them is it that
you seek? God be thanked that we have once again a clue, though
whither it may lead us we know not. We have been blind somewhat.
Blind after the manner of men, since we can look back we see what we
might have seen looking forward if we had been able to see what we
might have seen! Alas, but that sentence is a puddle, is it not? We
can know now what was in the Count's mind, when he seize that money,
though Jonathan's so fierce knife put him in the danger that even he
dread. He meant escape. Hear me, ESCAPE! He saw that with but one
earth box left, and a pack of men following like dogs after a fox,
this London was no place for him. He have take his last earth box on
board a ship, and he leave the land. He think to escape, but no! We
follow him. Tally Ho! As friend Arthur would say when he put on his
red frock! Our old fox is wily. Oh! So wily, and we must follow
with wile. I, too, am wily and I think his mind in a little while.
In meantime we may rest and in peace, for there are between us which
he do not want to pass, and which he could not if he would. Unless
the ship were to touch the land, and then only at full or slack tide.
See, and the sun is just rose, and all day to sunset is us. Let us
take bath, and dress, and have breakfast which we all need, and which
we can eat comfortably since he be not in the same land with us."

Mina looked at him appealingly as she asked, "But why need we seek him
further, when he is gone away from us?"

He took her hand and patted it as he replied, "Ask me nothing as yet.
When we have breakfast, then I answer all questions." He would say no
more, and we separated to dress.

After breakfast Mina repeated her question. He looked at her gravely
for a minute and then said sorrowfully, "Because my dear, dear Madam
Mina, now more than ever must we find him even if we have to follow
him to the jaws of Hell!"

She grew paler as she asked faintly, "Why?"

"Because," he answered solemnly, "he can live for centuries, and you
are but mortal woman. Time is now to be dreaded, since once he put
that mark upon your throat."

I was just in time to catch her as she fell forward in a faint.

CHAPTER 24

DR. SEWARD'S PHONOGRAPH DIARY

SPOKEN BY VAN HELSING

This to Jonathan Harker.

You are to stay with your dear Madam Mina. We shall go to make our
search, if I can call it so, for it is not se