The gypsies are in the castle and are doing some work with the boxes.
When I watched from the window, it was a new shock to me. The Count put on my suit and slung over his shoulder the terrible bag! This, then, is his new scheme of evil: that he will allow others to see me, as they think.
In a couple of hours I heard something in the Count’s room, something like a sharp wail; and then there was silence, deep, awful silence, which chilled me. I tried the door; but I was locked in my prison, and could do nothing. I sat down and simply cried.
I heard a sound in the courtyard – the agonized cry of a woman. I rushed to the window, and peered out between the bars. There, indeed, was a woman. She was holding her hands over her heart. She was leaning against a corner of the gateway. When she saw my face at the window, she threw herself forward, and shouted, “Monster, give me my child!”
She threw herself on her knees, and raising up her hands, cried the same words. Then she threw herself forward. Her naked hands were beating against the door.
Somewhere I heard the voice of the Count, his harsh, metallic whisper. Suddenly the wolves appeared… There was no cry from the woman. The wolves went away, licking their lips.
What shall I do? What can I do? How can I escape from this dreadful castle of night and gloom and fear?
25 June, morning. – I must take action. Last night one of my letters went to post, the first of that fatal series. Action! I have not yet seen the Count in the daylight. Does he sleep when others wake? I want to get into his room! But there is no possible way. The door is always locked, no way for me.
Yes, there is a way! He crawled from his window. Why can’t I imitate him? I shall risk it. God help me in my task! Goodbye, Mina, if I fail; goodbye, my faithful friend and second father; goodbye, all, and last of all Mina!
Same day, later. – I have made the effort, and have come safely back to this room. I got outside on the narrow ledge of stone which runs around the building. The stones are big and roughly cut. I took off my boots, I knew pretty well the direction and distance of the Count’s window. I did not feel dizzy – I suppose I was too excited – and the time seemed ridiculously short. I was filled with agitation.
I bent down and slid in through the window. Then I looked around for the Count, but, with surprise and gladness, made a discovery. The room was empty! The furniture was covered with dust. I looked for the key, but it was not in the lock, and I could not find it anywhere. The only thing I found was a great heap of gold in one corner – gold of all kinds, Roman, and British, and Austrian, and Hungarian, and Greek and Turkish money, covered with a film of dust. There were also chains and ornaments, all of them old and stained.
At one corner of the room was a heavy door. I tried it. It was open, and led through a stone passage to a circular stairway. I descended. At the bottom there was a dark, tunnel-like passage, through which came a deathly, sickly odour. At last I pulled open a heavy door, and found myself in an old, ruined chapel, which was used as a graveyard. There were great wooden boxes, those which the gypsies had brought. In two of these boxes I saw nothing except fragments of old coffins and piles of dust; in the third, however, I made a discovery.
