m all
that has been I can guess how brilliant and how true they must be.
But she will not, or cannot, give them utterance. I have mentioned
this to Van Helsing, and he and I are to talk it over when we are
alone. I suppose it is some of that horrid poison which has got into
her veins beginning to work. The Count had his own purposes when he
gave her what Van Helsing called "the Vampire's baptism of blood."
Well, there may be a poison that distills itself out of good things.
In an age when the existence of ptomaines is a mystery we should not
wonder at anything! One thing I know, that if my instinct be true
regarding poor Mrs. Harker's silences, then there is a terrible
difficulty, an unknown danger, in the work before us. The same power
that compels her silence may compel her speech. I dare not think
further, for so I should in my thoughts dishonour a noble woman!

Later.--When the Professor came in, we talked over the state of
things. I could see that he had something on his mind, which he
wanted to say, but felt some hesitancy about broaching the subject.
After beating about the bush a little, he said, "Friend John, there is
something that you and I must talk of alone, just at the first at any
rate. Later, we may have to take the others into our confidence."

Then he stopped, so I waited. He went on, "Madam Mina, our poor, dear
Madam Mina is changing."

A cold shiver ran through me to find my worst fears thus endorsed.
Van Helsing continued.

"With the sad experience of Miss Lucy, we must this time be warned
before things go too far. Our task is now in reality more difficult
than ever, and this new trouble makes every hour of the direst
importance. I can see the characteristics of the vampire coming in
her face. It is now but very, very slight. But it is to be seen if
we have eyes to notice without prejudge. Her teeth are sharper, and
at times her eyes are more hard. But these are not all, there is to
her the silence now often, as so it was with Miss Lucy. She did not
speak, even when she wrote that which she wished to be known later.
Now my fear is this. If it be that she can, by our hypnotic trance,
tell what the Count see and hear, is it not more true that he who have
hypnotize her first, and who have drink of her very blood and make her
drink of his, should if he will, compel her mind to disclose to him
that which she know?"

I nodded acquiescence. He went on, "Then, what we must do is to