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117 June.--This morning, as I was sitting on the edge of my bed cudgelling my brains, I heard without a cracking of whips
2and pounding and scraping of horses' feet up the rocky path beyond the courtyard. With joy I hurried to the window, and
3saw drive into the yard two great leiter-wagons, each drawn by eight sturdy horses, and at the head of each pair a
4Slovak, with his wide hat, great nail-studded belt, dirty sheepskin, and high boots. They had also their long staves in
5hand. I ran to the door, intending to descend and try and join them through the main hall, as I thought that way might
6be opened for them. Again a shock: my door was fastened on the outside. Then I ran to the window and cried to them. They
7looked up at me stupidly and pointed, but just then the "hetman" of the Szgany came out, and seeing them pointing to my
8window, said something, at which they laughed. Henceforth no effort of mine, no piteous cry or agonised entreaty, would
9make them even look at me. They resolutely turned away. The leiter-wagons contained great, square boxes, with handles of
10thick rope; these were evidently empty by the ease with which the Slovaks handled them, and by their resonance as they
11were roughly moved. When they were all unloaded and packed in a great heap in one corner of the yard, the Slovaks were
12given some money by the Szgany, and spitting on it for luck, lazily went each to his horse's head. Shortly afterwards, I
13heard the cracking of their whips die away in the distance. 24 June, before morning.--Last night the Count left me
14early, and locked himself into his own room. As soon as I dared I ran up the winding stair, and looked out of the
15window, which opened south. I thought I would watch for the Count, for there is something going on. The Szgany are
16quartered somewhere in the castle and are doing work of some kind. I know it, for now and then I hear a far-away muffled
17sound as of mattock and spade, and, whatever it is, it must be the end of some ruthless villainy. I had been at the
18window somewhat less than half an hour, when I saw something coming out of the Count's window. I drew back and watched
19carefully, and saw the whole man emerge. It was a new shock to me to find that he had on the suit of clothes which I had
20worn whilst travelling here, and slung over his shoulder the terrible bag which I had seen the women take away. There
21could be no doubt as to his quest, and in my garb, too! This, then, is his new scheme of evil: that he will allow others
22to see me, as they think, so that he may both leave evidence that I have been seen in the towns or villages posting my
23own letters, and that any wickedness which he may do shall by the local people be attributed to me. It makes me rage to
24think that this can go on, and whilst I am shut up here, a veritable prisoner, but without that protection of the law
25which is even a criminal's right and consolation. I thought I would watch for the Count's return, and for a long time
26sat doggedly at the window. Then I began to notice that there were some quaint little specks floating in the rays of the
27moonlight. They were like the tiniest grains of dust, and they whirled round and gathered in clusters in a nebulous sort
28of way. I watched them with a sense of soothing, and a sort of calm stole over me. I leaned back in the embrasure in a
29more comfortable position, so that I could enjoy more fully the aërial gambolling. Something made me start up, a low,
30piteous howling of dogs somewhere far below in the valley, which was hidden from my sight. Louder it seemed to ring in
31my ears, and the floating motes of dust to take new shapes to the sound as they danced in the moonlight. I felt myself
32struggling to awake to some call of my instincts; nay, my very soul was struggling, and my half-remembered sensibilities
33were striving to answer the call. I was becoming hypnotised! Quicker and quicker danced the dust; the moonbeams seemed
34to quiver as they went by me into the mass of gloom beyond. More and more they gathered till they seemed to take dim
35phantom shapes. And then I started, broad awake and in full possession of my senses, and ran screaming from the place.
36The phantom shapes, which were becoming gradually materialised from the moonbeams, were those of the three ghostly women
37to whom I was doomed. I fled, and felt somewhat safer in my own room, where there was no moonlight and where the lamp
38was burning brightly. When a couple of hours had passed I heard something stirring in the Count's room, something like a
39sharp wail quickly suppressed; and then there was silence, deep, awful silence, which chilled me. With a beating heart,
40I tried the door; but I was locked in my prison, and could do nothing. I sat down and simply cried. As I sat I heard a
41sound in the courtyard without--the agonised cry of a woman. I rushed to the window, and throwing it up, peered out
42between the bars. There, indeed, was a woman with dishevelled hair, holding her hands over her heart as one distressed
43with running. She was leaning against a corner of the gateway. When she saw my face at the window she threw herself
44forward, and shouted in a voice laden with menace:-- "Monster, give me my child!" She threw herself on her knees, and
45raising up her hands, cried the same words in tones which wrung my heart. Then she tore her hair and beat her breast,
46and abandoned herself to all the violences of extravagant emotion. Finally, she threw herself forward, and, though I
47could not see her, I could hear the beating of her naked hands against the door. Somewhere high overhead, probably on
48the tower, I heard the voice of the Count calling in his harsh, metallic whisper. His call seemed to be answered from
49far and wide by the howling of wolves. Before many minutes had passed a pack of them poured, like a pent-up dam when
50liberated, through the wide entrance into the courtyard. There was no cry from the woman, and the howling of the wolves
51was but short. Before long they streamed away singly, licking their lips. I could not pity her, for I knew now what had
52become of her child, and she was better dead. What shall I do? what can I do? How can I escape from this dreadful thing
53of night and gloom and fear? 25 June, morning.--No man knows till he has suffered from the night how sweet and how dear
54to his heart and eye the morning can be. When the sun grew so high this morning that it struck the top of the great
55gateway opposite my window, the high spot which it touched seemed to me as if the dove from the ark had lighted there.
56My fear fell from me as if it had been a vaporous garment which dissolved in the warmth. I must take action of some sort
57whilst the courage of the day is upon me. Last night one of my post-dated letters went to post, the first of that fatal
58series which is to blot out the very traces of my existence from the earth. Let me not think of it. Action! It has
59always been at night-time that I have been molested or threatened, or in some way in danger or in fear. I have not yet
60seen the Count in the daylight. Can it be that he sleeps when others wake, that he may be awake whilst they sleep? If I
61could only get into his room! But there is no possible way. The door is always locked, no way for me. Yes, there is a
62way, if one dares to take it. Where his body has gone why may not another body go? I have seen him myself crawl from his
63window. Why should not I imitate him, and go in by his window? The chances are desperate, but my need is more desperate
64still. I shall risk it. At the worst it can only be death; and a man's death is not a calf's, and the dreaded Hereafter
65may still be open to me. God help me in my task! Good-bye, Mina, if I fail; good-bye, my faithful friend and second
66father; good-bye, all, and last of all Mina!
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