that Mrs. Harker put my cylinders into type! We never could have
found the dates otherwise....
I found Renfield sitting placidly in his room with his hands
folded, smiling benignly. At the moment he seemed as sane as any
one I ever saw. I sat down and talked with him on a lot of
subjects, all of which he treated naturally. He then, of his own
accord, spoke of going home, a subject he has never mentioned to my
knowledge during his sojourn here. In fact, he spoke quite
confidently of getting his discharge at once. I believe that, had I
not had the chat with Harker and read the letters and the dates of
his outbursts, I should have been prepared to sign for him after a
brief time of observation. As it is, I am darkly suspicious. All
those outbreaks were in some way linked with the proximity of the
Count. What then does this absolute content mean? Can it be that
his instinct is satisfied as to the vampire s ultimate triumph?
Stay; he is himself zoophagous, and in his wild ravings outside the
chapel door of the deserted house he always spoke of master. This
all seems confirmation of our idea. However, after a while I came
away; my friend is just a little too sane at present to make it
safe to probe him too deep with questions. He might begin to think,
and then--! So I came away. I mistrust these quiet moods of his; so
I have given the attendant a hint to look closely after him, and to
have a strait-waistcoat ready in case of need.
_Jonathan Harker s Journal._
_29 September, in train to London._--When I received Mr. Billington s
courteous message that he would give me any information in his power I
thought it best to go down to Whitby and make, on the spot, such
inquiries as I wanted. It was now my object to trace that horrid cargo
of the Count s to its place in London. Later, we may be able to deal
with it. Billington junior, a nice lad, met me at the station, and
brought me to his father s house, where they had decided that I must
stay the night. They are hospitable, with true Yorkshire hospitality:
give a guest everything, and leave him free to do as he likes. They all
knew that I was busy, and that my stay was short, and Mr. Billington had
ready in his office all the papers concerning the consignment of boxes.
It gave me almost a turn to see again one of the letters which I had
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