she had much to say. So here I am finishing my entry in my phonograph
diary whilst I await her. As yet I have not had the chance of looking at
the papers which Van Helsing left with me, though they lie open before
me. I must get her interested in something, so that I may have an
opportunity of reading them. She does not know how precious time is, or
what a task we have in hand. I must be careful not to frighten her. Here
she is!
_Mina Harker s Journal._
_29 September._--After I had tidied myself, I went down to Dr. Seward s
study. At the door I paused a moment, for I thought I heard him talking
with some one. As, however, he had pressed me to be quick, I knocked at
the door, and on his calling out, Come in, I entered.
To my intense surprise, there was no one with him. He was quite alone,
and on the table opposite him was what I knew at once from the
description to be a phonograph. I had never seen one, and was much
interested.
I hope I did not keep you waiting, I said; but I stayed at the door
as I heard you talking, and thought there was some one with you.
Oh, he replied with a smile, I was only entering my diary.
Your diary? I asked him in surprise.
Yes, he answered. I keep it in this. As he spoke he laid his hand on
the phonograph. I felt quite excited over it, and blurted out:--
Why, this beats even shorthand! May I hear it say something?
Certainly, he replied with alacrity, and stood up to put it in train
for speaking. Then he paused, and a troubled look overspread his face.
The fact is, he began awkwardly, I only keep my diary in it; and as
it is entirely--almost entirely--about my cases, it may be awkward--that
is, I mean---- He stopped, and I tried to help him out of his
embarrassment:--
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