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1"I want you to do me a favour. Lucy is ill; that is, she has no special disease, but she looks awful, and is getting
2worse every day. I have asked her if there is any cause; I do not dare to ask her mother, for to disturb the poor lady's
3mind about her daughter in her present state of health would be fatal. Mrs. Westenra has confided to me that her doom is
4spoken--disease of the heart--though poor Lucy does not know it yet. I am sure that there is something preying on my
5dear girl's mind. I am almost distracted when I think of her; to look at her gives me a pang. I told her I should ask
6you to see her, and though she demurred at first--I know why, old fellow--she finally consented. It will be a painful
7task for you, I know, old friend, but it is for her sake, and I must not hesitate to ask, or you to act. You are to come
8to lunch at Hillingham to-morrow, two o'clock, so as not to arouse any suspicion in Mrs. Westenra, and after lunch Lucy
9will take an opportunity of being alone with you. I shall come in for tea, and we can go away together; I am filled with
10anxiety, and want to consult with you alone as soon as I can after you have seen her. Do not fail! "ARTHUR." Telegram,
11Arthur Holmwood to Seward. "1 September. "Am summoned to see my father, who is worse. Am writing. Write me fully by
12to-night's post to Ring. Wire me if necessary." Letter from Dr. Seward to Arthur Holmwood. "2 September. "My dear old
13fellow,-- "With regard to Miss Westenra's health I hasten to let you know at once that in my opinion there is not any
14functional disturbance or any malady that I know of. At the same time, I am not by any means satisfied with her
15appearance; she is woefully different from what she was when I saw her last. Of course you must bear in mind that I did
16not have full opportunity of examination such as I should wish; our very friendship makes a little difficulty which not
17even medical science or custom can bridge over. I had better tell you exactly what happened, leaving you to draw, in a
18measure, your own conclusions. I shall then say what I have done and propose doing. "I found Miss Westenra in seemingly
19gay spirits. Her mother was present, and in a few seconds I made up my mind that she was trying all she knew to mislead
20her mother and prevent her from being anxious. I have no doubt she guesses, if she does not know, what need of caution
21there is. We lunched alone, and as we all exerted ourselves to be cheerful, we got, as some kind of reward for our
22labours, some real cheerfulness amongst us. Then Mrs. Westenra went to lie down, and Lucy was left with me. We went into
23her boudoir, and till we got there her gaiety remained, for the servants were coming and going. As soon as the door was
24closed, however, the mask fell from her face, and she sank down into a chair with a great sigh, and hid her eyes with
25her hand. When I saw that her high spirits had failed, I at once took advantage of her reaction to make a diagnosis. She
26said to me very sweetly:-- "'I cannot tell you how I loathe talking about myself.' I reminded her that a doctor's
27confidence was sacred, but that you were grievously anxious about her. She caught on to my meaning at once, and settled
28that matter in a word. 'Tell Arthur everything you choose. I do not care for myself, but all for him!' So I am quite
29free. "I could easily see that she is somewhat bloodless, but I could not see the usual anæmic signs, and by a chance I
30was actually able to test the quality of her blood, for in opening a window which was stiff a cord gave way, and she cut
31her hand slightly with broken glass. It was a slight matter in itself, but it gave me an evident chance, and I secured a
32few drops of the blood and have analysed them. The qualitative analysis gives a quite normal condition, and shows, I
33should infer, in itself a vigorous state of health. In other physical matters I was quite satisfied that there is no
34need for anxiety; but as there must be a cause somewhere, I have come to the conclusion that it must be something
35mental. She complains of difficulty in breathing satisfactorily at times, and of heavy, lethargic sleep, with dreams
36that frighten her, but regarding which she can remember nothing. She says that as a child she used to walk in her sleep,
37and that when in Whitby the habit came back, and that once she walked out in the night and went to East Cliff, where
38Miss Murray found her; but she assures me that of late the habit has not returned. I am in doubt, and so have done the
39best thing I know of; I have written to my old friend and master, Professor Van Helsing, of Amsterdam, who knows as much
40about obscure diseases as any one in the world. I have asked him to come over, and as you told me that all things were
41to be at your charge, I have mentioned to him who you are and your relations to Miss Westenra. This, my dear fellow, is
42in obedience to your wishes, for I am only too proud and happy to do anything I can for her. Van Helsing would, I know,
43do anything for me for a personal reason, so, no matter on what ground he comes, we must accept his wishes. He is a
44seemingly arbitrary man, but this is because he knows what he is talking about better than any one else. He is a
45philosopher and a metaphysician, and one of the most advanced scientists of his day; and he has, I believe, an
46absolutely open mind. This, with an iron nerve, a temper of the ice-brook, an indomitable resolution, self-command, and
47toleration exalted from virtues to blessings, and the kindliest and truest heart that beats--these form his equipment
48for the noble work that he is doing for mankind--work both in theory and practice, for his views are as wide as his
49all-embracing sympathy. I tell you these facts that you may know why I have such confidence in him. I have asked him to
50come at once. I shall see Miss Westenra to-morrow again. She is to meet me at the Stores, so that I may not alarm her
51mother by too early a repetition of my call. "Yours always, "JOHN SEWARD." Letter, Abraham Van Helsing, M. D., D. Ph.,
52D. Lit., etc., etc., to Dr. Seward. "2 September. "My good Friend,-- "When I have received your letter I am already
53coming to you. By good fortune I can leave just at once, without wrong to any of those who have trusted me. Were fortune
54other, then it were bad for those who have trusted, for I come to my friend when he call me to aid those he holds dear.
55Tell your friend that when that time you suck from my wound so swiftly the poison of the gangrene from that knife that
56our other friend, too nervous, let slip, you did more for him when he wants my aids and you call for them than all his
57great fortune could do. But it is pleasure added to do for him, your friend; it is to you that I come. Have then rooms
58for me at the Great Eastern Hotel, so that I may be near to hand, and please it so arrange that we may see the young
59lady not too late on to-morrow, for it is likely that I may have to return here that night. But if need be I shall come
60again in three days, and stay longer if it must. Till then good-bye, my friend John. "VAN HELSING." Letter, Dr. Seward
61to Hon. Arthur Holmwood. "3 September. "My dear Art,--
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