JONATHAN HARKER'S JOURNAL, CONTINUED
29 June.--Today is the date of my last letter, and the Count has taken steps to prove that it was genuine, for again I saw him leave the castle by the same window, and in my clothes. As he went down the wall, lizard fashion, I wished I had a gun or some lethal weapon, that I might destroy him. But I fear that no weapon wrought along by man's hand would have any effect on him. I dared not wait to see him return, for I feared to see those weird sisters. I came back to the library, and read there till I fell asleep.
I was awakened by the Count, who looked at me as grimly as a man could look as he said, "Tomorrow, my friend, we must part. You return to your beautiful England, I to some work which may have such an end that we may never meet. Your letter home has been despatched. Tomorrow I shall not be here, but all shall be ready for your journey. In the morning come the Szgany, who have some labours of their own here, and also come some Slovaks. When they have gone, my carriage shall come for you, and shall bear you to the Borgo Pass to meet the diligence from Bukovina to Bistritz. But I am in hopes that I shall see more of you at Castle Dracula."
I suspected him, and determined to test his sincerity. Sincerity! It seems like a profanation of the word to write it in connection with such a monster, so I asked him point-blank, "Why may I not go tonight?"
"Because, dear sir, my coachman and horses are away on a mission."
"But I would walk with pleasure. I want to get away at once."
He smiled, such a soft, smooth, diabolical smile that I knew there was some trick behind his smoothness. He said, "And your baggage?"
"I do not care about it. I can send for it some other time."
The Count stood up, and said, with a sweet courtesy which made me rub my eyes, it seemed so real, "You English have a saying which is close to my heart, for its spirit is that which rules our boyars, `Welcome the coming, speed the parting guest.' Come with me, my dear young friend. Not an hour shall you wait in my house against your will, though sad am I at your going, and that you so suddenly desire it. Come!" With a stately gravity, he, with the lamp, preceded me down the stairs and along the hall. Suddenly he stopped. "Hark!"
Close at hand came the howling of many wolves. It was almost as if the sound sprang up at the rising of his hand, just as the music of a great orchestra seems to leap under the baton of the conductor. After a pause of a moment, he proceeded, in his stately way, to the door, drew back the ponderous bolts, unhooked the heavy chains, and began to draw it open.
To my intense astonishment I saw that it was unlocked. Suspiciously, I looked all round, but could see no key of any kind.
As the door began to open, the howling of the wolves without grew louder and angrier. Their red jaws, with champing teeth, and their blunt-clawed feet as they leaped, came in through the opening door. I knew than that to struggle at the moment against the Count was useless. With such allies as these at his command, I could do nothing.
But still the door continued slowly to open, and only the Count's body stood in the gap. Suddenly it struck me that this might be the moment and means of my doom. I was to be given to the wolves, and at my own instigation. There was a diabolical wickedness in the idea great enough for the Count, and as the last chance I cried out, "Shut the door! I shall wait till morning." And I covered my face with my hands to hide my tears of bitter disappointment.
With one sweep of his powerful arm, the Count threw the door shut, and the great bolts clanged and echoed through the hall as they shot back into their places.
In silence we returned to the library, and after a minute or two I
went to my own room. The last I saw of Count Dracula was his kissing
his hand to me, with a red light of triumph in his eyes, and with a
smile that Judas in hell might be proud of.
When I was in my room
and about to lie down, I thought I heard a whispering at my door. I
went to it softly and listened. Unless my ears deceived me, I heard the
voice of the Count.
"Back! Back to your own place! Your time is not yet come. Wait! Have patience! Tonight is mine. Tomorrow night is yours!"
There was a low, sweet ripple of laughter, and in a rage I threw open the door, and saw without the three terrible women licking their lips. As I appeared, they all joined in a horrible laugh, and ran away.
I came back to my room and threw myself on my knees. It is then so near the end? Tomorrow! Tomorrow! Lord, help me, and those to whom I am dear!
"Back! Back to your own place! Your time is not yet come. Wait! Have patience! Tonight is mine. Tomorrow night is yours!"
This excerpt indicates that "Dracula Blogged" is not blogging the 1st edition (1897) of the novel. The original text reads "Tomorrow night, tomorrow night is yours." Nor does the "Tonight is mine" line appear in the manscript. It first made an appearance in the 1899 Doubleday(first American edition). Who made the change and why? A big mystery!
The change is a crucial one. "Tonight is mine" has been frequently used to support homoerotic readings of the novel. But did Stoker write it?
Theories, anyone?
Posted by: Elizabeth Miller | June 29, 2009 at 11:10 AM
Yup, first edition is what I'm working from. That's the text I've been using to prepare my edition of the novel, too.
What do we know about the American editor(s), Elizabeth?
Posted by: Bryan Alexander | June 29, 2009 at 03:04 PM
Which edition is being used for the blog? Just curious - as many editions claim that the 1897 Constable is their source, but it clearly is not...
I know nothing about the American editors. Les, did you come across any info re Doubleday?
Posted by: Elizabeth Miller | June 29, 2009 at 09:00 PM
I did a quick check of a few of my editions of "Dracula":
Leonard Wolf, Clive Leatherdale, Auerbach & Skal (Norton Critical Ediiton), and Klinger all use 1897. McNally & Florescu, Williams (New Riverside) use 1899 (American edition). So does Gutenberg online - surprising, as they state that's it's the 1897.
Check any copies of "Dracula" that you have and let me know what you find.
Posted by: Elizabeth Miller | June 29, 2009 at 09:36 PM
I have The Essential Dracula (Leonard Wolf, ibooks, inc.). It uses Yale University's copy of the second printing of the first edition. No mention of "Tonight is mine."
Posted by: Michael Gordon | July 02, 2009 at 10:37 AM
dracula are you there?
Posted by: sara | July 08, 2010 at 07:45 PM
will you bite me tonigt? please
Posted by: sara | July 08, 2010 at 07:46 PM