I am very, very grateful to you! I thought it well to leave him in this
mood, and so I came away. There is certainly something to ponder over in
this man s state. Several points seem to make what the American
interviewer calls a story, if one could only get them in proper order.
Here they are:--
Will not mention drinking.
Fears the thought of being burdened with the soul of anything.
Has no dread of wanting life in the future.
Despises the meaner forms of life altogether, though he dreads being
haunted by their souls.
Logically all these things point one way! he has assurance of some kind
that he will acquire some higher life. He dreads the consequence--the
burden of a soul. Then it is a human life he looks to!
And the assurance--?
Merciful God! the Count has been to him, and there is some new scheme of
terror afoot!
* * * * *
_Later._--I went after my round to Van Helsing and told him my
suspicion. He grew very grave; and, after thinking the matter over for a
while asked me to take him to Renfield. I did so. As we came to the door
we heard the lunatic within singing gaily, as he used to do in the time
which now seems so long ago. When we entered we saw with amazement that
he had spread out his sugar as of old; the flies, lethargic with the
autumn, were beginning to buzz into the room. We tried to make him talk
of the subject of our previous conversation, but he would not attend. He
went on with his singing, just as though we had not been present. He had
got a scrap of paper and was folding it into a note-book. We had to come
away as ignorant as we went in.
His is a curious case indeed; we must watch him to-night.
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