30 October, 7 a.m. -- We are near Galatz now, and I may not have time to write later. Sunrise this morning was anxiously looked for by us all. Knowing of the increasing difficulty of procuring the hypnotic trance, Van Helsing began his passes earlier than usual. They produced no effect, however, until the regular time, when she yielded with a still greater difficulty, only a minute before the sun rose. The Professor lost no time in his questioning; her answer came with equal quickness:--
All is dark. I hear water swirling by, level with my ears, and the creaking of wood on wood. Cattle low far off. There is another sound, a queer one like --
she stopped and grew white, and whiter still.
Go on; go on! Speak, I command you!
said Van Helsing in an agonised voice. At the same time there was despair in his eyes, for the risen sun was reddening even Mrs. Harker's pale face. She opened her eyes, and we all started as she said, sweetly and seemingly with the utmost unconcern:--
Oh, Professor, why ask me to do what you know I can't? I don't remember anything.
Then, seeing the look of amazement on our faces, she said, turning from one to the other with a troubled look:--
What have I said? What have I done? I know nothing, only that I was lying here, half asleep, and heard you say `go on! speak, I command you!' it seemed so funny to hear you order me about, as if I were a bad child!
Oh, Madam Mina,
he said, sadly,
it is proof, if proof be needed, of how I love and honour you, when a word for your good, spoken more earnest than ever, can seem so strange because it is to order her whom I am proud to obey!
The whistles are sounding; we are nearing Galatz. We are on fire with anxiety and eagerness.
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