Dracula — CHAPTER I

Maximum-assistance view: every word above everyday vocabulary is explained at every appearance; each name is introduced at its first appearance in the chapter.

CHAPTER I

JONATHAN HARKER’S JOURNAL (The day by day record of Jonathan Harker, a young English lawyer's clerk)

(Kept in shorthand.) (Written in a quick short way of writing, using signs instead of full words)

3 May. Bistritz.--Left Munich at 8:35 P. M., on 1st May (3 May, at Bistritz. Left Munich at thirty-five minutes past eight in the evening on the first of May), arriving at Vienna early next morning (reaching Vienna, the Austrian capital, early next morning); should have arrived at 6:46, but train was an hour late (the arrival was set for a quarter to seven, but the train ran an hour behind). Buda-Pesth seems a wonderful place, from the glimpse which I got of it from the train (Buda-Pesth, the Hungarian capital, seems a wonderful place, from the quick look I had of it out of the train) and the little I could walk through the streets. I feared to go very far from the station, as we had arrived late (I was afraid to go far from the station, since we had come in late) and would start as near the correct time as possible (and would leave as close to the set time as we could). The impression I had was that we were leaving the West and entering the East (The feeling it gave me was that we were leaving the West behind and going into the East); the most western of splendid bridges over the Danube, which is here of noble width and depth (the furthest west of the fine bridges over the Danube river, which here is grandly wide and deep), took us among the traditions of Turkish rule (carried us in among the old ways left behind by Turkish rule).

We left in pretty good time, and came after nightfall to Klausenburgh (and came after dark to Klausenburgh). Here I stopped for the night at the Hotel Royale (Here I stayed the night at the Hotel Royale). I had for dinner, or rather supper, a chicken done up some way with red pepper (For my evening meal, or rather my late meal, there was chicken cooked in some way with red pepper), which was very good but thirsty (which was very good but left me needing water). (Mem., get recipe for Mina.) (A note to myself: get the cooking directions for Mina, the young woman I am to marry) I asked the waiter, and he said it was called “paprika hendl,” (he said its name meant chicken with red pepper) and that, as it was a national dish, I should be able to get it anywhere along the Carpathians (and that, being a dish of the whole country, it could be had anywhere along the Carpathian mountains). I found my smattering of German very useful here (My scrap of German turned out very useful here); indeed, I don’t know how I should be able to get on without it (in truth, I do not know how I would manage without it).

Having had some time at my disposal when in London (Having some free time on my hands while in London), I had visited the British Museum, and made search among the books and maps in the library regarding Transylvania (I went to the British Museum and looked through the books and maps in its library about Transylvania); it had struck me that some foreknowledge of the country could hardly fail to have some importance (it had come to me that knowing something of the country beforehand could hardly fail to matter) in dealing with a nobleman of that country (in doing business with a man of high family from that country). I find that the district he named is in the extreme east of the country (I find the part he named lies at the far eastern edge of the country), just on the borders of three states, Transylvania, Moldavia and Bukovina (right on the dividing lines of three lands, Transylvania, Moldavia and Bukovina), in the midst of the Carpathian mountains; one of the wildest and least known portions of Europe (in the middle of the Carpathian mountains, one of the wildest and least known parts of Europe). I was not able to light on any map or work giving the exact locality of the Castle Dracula (No map or book came to hand that gave the exact spot of Castle Dracula), as there are no maps of this country as yet to compare with our own Ordnance Survey maps (since there are as yet no maps of this country to set beside our own official government maps); but I found that Bistritz, the post town named by Count Dracula, is a fairly well-known place (but I found that Bistritz, the mail town named by Count Dracula, is a fairly well known place). I shall enter here some of my notes, as they may refresh my memory (Some of my notes will go down here, as they may bring things back to mind) when I talk over my travels with Mina.

In the population of Transylvania there are four distinct nationalities (Among the people of Transylvania there are four separate peoples): Saxons in the South, and mixed with them the Wallachs, who are the descendants of the Dacians (Saxons in the south, and mixed in with them the Wallachs, who come down from the old Dacians); Magyars in the West, and Szekelys in the East and North (Magyars, that is Hungarians, in the west, and Szekelys in the east and north). I am going among the latter, who claim to be descended from Attila and the Huns (I am going among the last of these, who say they come down from Attila and the Huns, the fierce riders of old). This may be so, for when the Magyars conquered the country in the eleventh century they found the Huns settled in it (for when the Magyars took the country by war in the ten hundreds they found the Huns already living there). I read that every known superstition in the world is gathered into the horseshoe of the Carpathians (I read that every scared old belief known in the world is gathered into the horseshoe curve of the Carpathians), as if it were the centre of some sort of imaginative whirlpool (as if it were the middle of some kind of spinning pool of the mind); if so my stay may be very interesting. (Mem., I must ask the Count all about them.) (A note to myself: the Count must be asked all about these old beliefs)

I did not sleep well, though my bed was comfortable enough (I slept badly, though the bed was comfortable enough), for I had all sorts of queer dreams (for all sorts of strange dreams came to me). There was a dog howling all night under my window, which may have had something to do with it (A dog was crying long and loud all night under my window, which may have had something to do with it); or it may have been the paprika, for I had to drink up all the water in my carafe (or it may have been the red pepper, for all the water in my glass bottle had to be drunk), and was still thirsty. Towards morning I slept and was wakened by the continuous knocking at my door (Towards morning sleep came, and I was woken by steady knocking at my door), so I guess I must have been sleeping soundly then (so my guess is I must have been deep asleep by then). I had for breakfast more paprika (For my morning meal there was more of the red pepper), and a sort of porridge of maize flour which they said was “mamaliga,” (and a kind of thick boiled dish of ground corn which they called mamaliga) and egg-plant stuffed with forcemeat, a very excellent dish (and a purple garden fruit filled with chopped seasoned meat, a very fine dish), which they call “impletata.” (a very fine dish, which goes by a local name) (Mem., get recipe for this also.) I had to hurry breakfast, for the train started a little before eight (I had to eat in a hurry, for the train left a little before eight), or rather it ought to have done so, for after rushing to the station at 7:30 I had to sit in the carriage for more than an hour before we began to move (for after hurrying to the station at half past seven I had to sit in the coach more than an hour before we moved). It seems to me that the further east you go the more unpunctual are the trains (It seems to me that the further east you go the worse the trains are at keeping to time). What ought they to be in China? (What must they be like in China?)

All day long we seemed to dawdle through a country which was full of beauty of every kind (All day we seemed to crawl slowly through country full of beauty of every sort). Sometimes we saw little towns or castles on the top of steep hills such as we see in old missals (Sometimes we saw small towns or castles on steep hill tops like the ones in old painted church books); sometimes we ran by rivers and streams which seemed from the wide stony margin on each side of them to be subject to great floods (sometimes we ran beside rivers and streams which, by the wide stony edge on each side, seemed to flood heavily). It takes a lot of water, and running strong, to sweep the outside edge of a river clear. At every station there were groups of people, sometimes crowds, and in all sorts of attire (and in every kind of clothing). Some of them (dressed in every sort of clothing. Some of them) were just like the peasants at home (Some of them were just like the country working people at home) or those I saw coming through France and Germany (or those I saw on the way through France and Germany), with short jackets and round hats and home-made trousers; but others were very picturesque (but others made a fine sight). The women looked pretty, except when you got near them, but they were very clumsy about the waist (but they were very thick and shapeless round the middle). They had all full white sleeves of some kind or other, and most of them had big belts with a lot of strips of something fluttering from them like the dresses in a ballet (and most had wide belts with many strips of something flapping from them, like the dresses in a stage dance), but of course there were petticoats under them (but of course there were underskirts beneath). The strangest figures we saw were the Slovaks, who were more barbarian than the rest (The strangest people we saw were the Slovaks, rougher and wilder than the others), with their big cow-boy hats, great baggy dirty-white trousers, white linen shirts, and enormous heavy leather belts, nearly a foot wide, all studded over with brass nails (huge loose dirty white trousers, white cloth shirts, and enormous heavy skin belts nearly a foot across, set all over with yellow metal nails). They wore high boots, with their trousers tucked into them, and had long black hair and heavy black moustaches (and had long black hair and thick black hair on the upper lip). They are very picturesque, but do not look prepossessing (They make a fine sight, but they do not look like men you would take to). On the stage they would be set down at once as some old Oriental band of brigands (In a play they would be taken at once for some old eastern gang of road robbers). They are, however, I am told, very harmless and rather wanting in natural self-assertion (They are, though, so I am told, quite harmless and rather short of any natural push to stand up for themselves).

It was on the dark side of twilight when we got to Bistritz (It was on the dark side of the half light when we reached Bistritz), which is a very interesting old place. Being practically on the frontier--for the Borgo Pass leads from it into Bukovina--it has had a very stormy existence (Being all but on the border, since the Borgo Pass leads from it into Bukovina, it has had a very troubled history), and it certainly shows marks of it (and it certainly carries the marks of that). Fifty years ago a series of great fires took place, which made terrible havoc on five separate occasions (which did terrible damage on five separate times). At the very beginning of the seventeenth century it underwent a siege of three weeks (At the very start of the sixteen hundreds it was shut in and attacked for three weeks) and lost 13,000 people, the casualties of war proper being assisted by famine and disease (the losses from the fighting itself being added to by hunger and sickness).

Count Dracula had directed me to go to the Golden Krone Hotel (Count Dracula had told me to go to the Golden Krone Hotel), which I found, to my great delight, to be thoroughly old-fashioned (which I found, much to my delight, to be entirely in the old style), for of course I wanted to see all I could of the ways of the country. I was evidently expected, for when I got near the door I faced a cheery-looking elderly woman in the usual peasant dress (I was plainly looked for, since near the door I met a cheerful-looking old woman in the usual country dress)--white undergarment with long double apron, front, and back, of coloured stuff fitting almost too tight for modesty (a white under dress with a long double cover-cloth, front and back, of coloured cloth fitting almost too tightly for decency). When I came close she bowed and said, “The Herr Englishman?” “Yes,” I said, “Jonathan Harker.” (Are you the English gentleman? Yes, I said, Jonathan Harker) She smiled, and gave some message to an elderly man in white shirt-sleeves (She smiled and passed some word to an old man in white shirt sleeves), who had followed her to the door. He went, but immediately returned with a letter (He went off but came straight back with a letter):--

“My Friend.--Welcome to the Carpathians. I am anxiously expecting you (My friend, welcome to the Carpathians. You are waited for with impatience). Sleep well to-night (Sleep well tonight). At three to-morrow the diligence will start for Bukovina; a place on it is kept for you (At three tomorrow the public stage coach leaves for Bukovina, and a seat on it is held for you). At the Borgo Pass my carriage will await you and will bring you to me (At the Borgo Pass my own carriage will be waiting and will bring you to me). I trust that your journey from London has been a happy one (My hope is that your journey from London has been a happy one), and that you will enjoy your stay in my beautiful land (and that your stay in my beautiful country will be a pleasure to you).

“Your friend,

“DRACULA.”

4 May.--I found that my landlord had got a letter from the Count (I found the man who kept the inn had had a letter from the Count), directing him to secure the best place on the coach for me (telling him to get me the best seat on the coach); but on making inquiries as to details he seemed somewhat reticent (but when I asked about the details he seemed unwilling to speak), and pretended that he could not understand my German (and made out that my German was beyond him). This could not be true, because up to then he had understood it perfectly (This could not be so, since until then he had understood it perfectly); at least, he answered my questions exactly as if he did (at least he answered my questions exactly as though he did). He and his wife, the old lady who had received me, looked at each other in a frightened sort of way (He and his wife, the old woman who had met me, looked at one another in a frightened way). He mumbled out that the money had been sent in a letter, and that was all he knew (He said thickly and unclearly that the money had come in a letter and that was all he knew). When I asked him if he knew Count Dracula, and could tell me anything of his castle (When I asked whether he knew Count Dracula and could tell me anything about his castle), both he and his wife crossed themselves, and, saying that they knew nothing at all, simply refused to speak further (both he and his wife made the sign of the cross over themselves and, saying they knew nothing at all, would say no more). It was so near the time of starting that I had no time to ask any one else (It was so close to the hour of leaving that there was no time to ask anyone else), for it was all very mysterious and not by any means comforting (for the whole thing was full of things unexplained and gave me no comfort at all).

Just before I was leaving, the old lady came up to my room and said in a very hysterical way (the old woman came up to my room and said, in a wild state of feeling):

“Must you go? Oh! young Herr, must you go?” (Must you go? Oh, young gentleman, must you go?) She was in such an excited state that she seemed to have lost her grip of what German she knew (She was so worked up that her hold on what German she had seemed to have gone), and mixed it all up with some other language which I did not know at all (and she mixed it all with some other tongue I did not know at all). I was just able to follow her by asking many questions (I could only just follow her, and that by asking many questions). When I told her that I must go at once (When I told her that I had to go at once), and that I was engaged on important business (and that I was there on business that mattered), she asked again:

“Do you know what day it is?” I answered that it was the fourth of May. She shook her head as she said again (She moved her head from side to side as she said again):

“Oh, yes! I know that! I know that, but do you know what day it is?” (Oh yes, that much is known to me. But do you know what day it is?) On my saying that I did not understand, she went on (When I said I did not understand, she went on):

“It is the eve of St. George’s Day (“It is the night before Saint George's Day). Do you not know that to-night, when the clock strikes midnight, all the evil things in the world will have full sway? (all the wicked things in the world will have full power?) Do you know where you are going, and what you are going to?” She was in such evident distress that I tried to comfort her, but without effect (Her trouble was so plain that I tried to comfort her, but it did no good). Finally she went down on her knees and implored me not to go (At last she went down on her knees and begged me not to go); at least to wait a day or two before starting. It was all very ridiculous but I did not feel comfortable (The whole thing was ridiculous, but it left me uneasy). However, there was business to be done, and I could allow nothing to interfere with it (Still, there was business to do, and nothing could be let get in the way of it). I therefore tried to raise her up, and said, as gravely as I could (So I tried to lift her to her feet and said, as seriously as I could), that I thanked her, but my duty was imperative, and that I must go (that my thanks were hers, but that what I owed my work left no choice, and I had to go). She then rose and dried her eyes, and taking a crucifix from her neck offered it to me (and taking a small cross with the figure of Christ on it from her neck, held it out to me). I did not know what to do, for, as an English Churchman, I have been taught to regard such things as in some measure idolatrous (for, being of the English church, I have been taught to see such things as coming near to worshipping an object), and yet it seemed so ungracious to refuse an old lady meaning so well (and yet it seemed so unkind to refuse an old woman who meant so well) and in such a state of mind. She saw, I suppose, the doubt in my face, for she put the rosary round my neck, and said, “For your mother’s sake,” (for she put the string of prayer beads round my neck and said, for your mother's sake) and went out of the room. I am writing up this part of the diary whilst I am waiting for the coach, which is, of course, late; and the crucifix is still round my neck. Whether it is the old lady’s fear, or the many ghostly traditions of this place, or the crucifix itself (or the many ghost stories handed down in this place, or the cross itself), I do not know, but I am not feeling nearly as easy in my mind as usual (but my mind is nowhere near as much at rest as it usually is). If this book should ever reach Mina before I do, let it bring my good-bye (If this book should ever get to Mina before I do, let it carry my farewell). Here comes the coach!

* * * * *

5 May. The Castle.--The grey of the morning has passed (5 May, at the Castle. The grey of the morning is over), and the sun is high over the distant horizon, which seems jagged (the sun is high over the far edge of the land, which looks ragged and broken), whether with trees or hills I know not, for it is so far off that big things and little are mixed (for it is so far away that large things and small run together). I am not sleepy, and, as I am not to be called till I awake, naturally I write till sleep comes (and since nobody is to wake me until I wake myself, of course I write until sleep comes). There are many odd things to put down (There are many strange things to write down), and, lest who reads them may fancy that I dined too well before I left Bistritz (in case whoever reads them should imagine I ate and drank too well before leaving Bistritz), let me put down my dinner exactly. I dined on what they called “robber steak”--bits of bacon, onion, and beef, seasoned with red pepper, and strung on sticks and roasted over the fire (pieces of salted pig meat, onion and beef, flavoured with red pepper, threaded on sticks and cooked over the fire), in the simple style of the London cat’s meat! (in the plain fashion of the cheap meat sold for cats in London) The wine was Golden Mediasch (The wine was Golden Mediasch, a local white wine), which produces a queer sting on the tongue, which is, however, not disagreeable (which gives a strange bite on the tongue, though it is not unpleasant). I had only a couple of glasses of this, and nothing else (Only a couple of glasses of it were taken by me, and nothing more).

When I got on the coach the driver had not taken his seat, and I saw him talking with the landlady (the driver had not yet sat down, and I saw him talking with the woman who kept the inn). They were evidently talking of me, for every now and then they looked at me (They were plainly talking about me, since every now and then they looked my way), and some of the people who were sitting on the bench outside the door (and some of the people sitting on the seat outside the door)--which they call by a name meaning “word-bearer” (which they call by a name that means carrier of words)--came and listened, and then looked at me, most of them pityingly (came and listened, then looked at me, most of them with pity). I could hear a lot of words often repeated, queer words (I could hear many words said over and over, strange words), for there were many nationalities in the crowd (for the crowd held people of many different lands); so I quietly got my polyglot dictionary from my bag and looked them out (so I quietly took my many-language word book out of my bag and looked them up). I must say they were not cheering to me (It must be said they gave me no cheer), for amongst them were “Ordog”--Satan, “pokol”--hell (for among them were their words for the Devil and for hell), “stregoica”--witch, “vrolok” and “vlkoslak”--both of which mean the same thing (then a word for a woman with dark powers, and two more that both mean the same thing), one being Slovak and the other Servian for something that is either were-wolf or vampire (one being Slovak and the other Serbian for a thing that is either a man who turns into a wolf or a blood-drinking dead thing). (Mem., I must ask the Count about these superstitions) (A note to myself: the Count must be asked about these old scared beliefs)

When we started, the crowd round the inn door, which had by this time swelled to a considerable size (the crowd round the inn door, which by now had grown to a good size), all made the sign of the cross and pointed two fingers towards me (all made the sign of the cross and held two fingers out towards me). With some difficulty I got a fellow-passenger to tell me what they meant (With some trouble I got another traveller to tell me what it meant); he would not answer at first, but on learning that I was English, he explained that it was a charm or guard against the evil eye (he said it was a spell or a guard against the harmful look that brings bad luck). This was not very pleasant for me, just starting for an unknown place to meet an unknown man (This was not very pleasant for me, just setting off for an unknown place to meet an unknown man); but every one seemed so kind-hearted, and so sorrowful, and so sympathetic that I could not but be touched (but everyone seemed so kind, so sorry, and so full of fellow feeling that I could not help being moved). I shall never forget the last glimpse which I had of the inn-yard and its crowd of picturesque figures (I shall never forget my last sight of the inn yard and its crowd of striking figures), all crossing themselves, as they stood round the wide archway (as they stood round the wide curved gateway), with its background of rich foliage of oleander and orange trees in green tubs clustered in the centre of the yard (with its backing of thick leaves of flowering shrubs and orange trees in green tubs gathered in the middle of the yard). Then our driver, whose wide linen drawers (Then our driver, whose wide cloth trousers) covered the whole front of the box-seat (whose wide cloth trousers covered the whole front of the driver's high seat)--“gotza” they call them-- (that is the local name for them)cracked his big whip over his four small horses, which ran abreast (snapped his big whip over his four small horses, running side by side), and we set off on our journey.

I soon lost sight and recollection of ghostly fears in the beauty of the scene (I soon lost both the sight and the memory of ghost fears in the beauty of what lay round us) as we drove along, although had I known the language, or rather languages, which my fellow-passengers were speaking, I might not have been able to throw them off so easily (I might not have been able to shake them off so easily). Before us lay a green sloping land full of forests and woods (In front of us lay a green tilting land full of forest and woodland), with here and there steep hills, crowned with clumps of trees or with farmhouses, the blank gable end to the road (topped with bunches of trees or with farmhouses, their bare pointed end wall facing the road). There was everywhere a bewildering mass of fruit blossom (Everywhere there was a bewildering weight of fruit flowers)--apple, plum, pear, cherry (Everywhere there was a bewildering weight of fruit flowers: apple, plum, pear and cherry); and as we drove by I could see the green grass under the trees spangled with the fallen petals (I could see the green grass under the trees dotted bright with fallen flower leaves). In and out amongst these green hills of what they call here the “Mittel Land” ran the road (In and out among these green hills of what they call here the Middle Land ran the road), losing itself as it swept round the grassy curve, or was shut out by the straggling ends of pine woods (going out of sight as it swung round the grassy bend, or being hidden by the ragged ends of pine woods), which here and there ran down the hillsides like tongues of flame (which here and there ran down the hill sides like tongues of fire). The road was rugged, but still we seemed to fly over it with a feverish haste (The road was rough, but still we seemed to fly along it in a hot hurry). I could not understand then what the haste meant, but the driver was evidently bent on losing no time in reaching Borgo Prund (but the driver was plainly set on losing no time in getting to Borgo Prund). I was told that this road is in summertime excellent, but that it had not yet been put in order after the winter snows (but that it had not yet been set right after the winter snows). In this respect it is different from the general run of roads in the Carpathians (In this way it is unlike most roads in the Carpathians), for it is an old tradition that they are not to be kept in too good order (for it is an old handed-down rule that they are not to be kept in too good a state). Of old the Hospadars would not repair them, lest the Turk should think that they were preparing to bring in foreign troops (In old times the local rulers would not mend them, in case the Turks should think they were getting ready to bring in foreign soldiers), and so hasten the war which was always really at loading point (and so bring on sooner the war that was always in truth ready to go off).

Beyond the green swelling hills of the Mittel Land (Beyond the green rising hills of the Middle Land) rose mighty slopes of forest up to the lofty steeps of the Carpathians themselves (rose great forest slopes up to the high steep sides of the Carpathians themselves). Right and left of us they towered, with the afternoon sun falling full upon them (To right and left of us they rose high, with the afternoon sun full on them) and bringing out all the glorious colours of this beautiful range, deep blue and purple in the shadows of the peaks, green and brown where grass and rock mingled (deep blue and purple in the shadows of the tops, green and brown where grass and rock ran together), and an endless perspective of jagged rock and pointed crags (and a view without end of ragged rock and sharp stone points), till these were themselves lost in the distance, where the snowy peaks rose grandly (until these too were lost in the distance, where the snow-covered tops rose in grandeur). Here and there seemed mighty rifts in the mountains (Here and there there seemed to be huge splits in the mountains), through which, as the sun began to sink, we saw now and again the white gleam of falling water (through which, as the sun began to go down, we saw now and then the white shine of falling water). One of my companions touched my arm (One of my fellow travellers touched my arm) as we swept round the base of a hill and opened up the lofty, snow-covered peak of a mountain (as we swung round the foot of a hill and brought into view the high snow-covered top of a mountain), which seemed, as we wound on our serpentine way, to be right before us (which, as we twisted along our snake-like road, seemed to stand right in front of us):--

“Look! Isten szek!”--“God’s seat!”--and he crossed himself reverently (Look, God's seat, he said in Hungarian, and made the sign of the cross with deep respect).

As we wound on our endless way, and the sun sank lower and lower behind us, the shadows of the evening began to creep round us (the evening shadows began to come slowly round us). This was emphasised by the fact that the snowy mountain-top still held the sunset (This was made stronger by the snow-covered mountain top still holding the light of the setting sun), and seemed to glow out with a delicate cool pink (and seeming to shine out with a fine cool pink). Here and there we passed Cszeks and Slovaks, all in picturesque attire (all in clothes that made a fine sight), but I noticed that goitre was painfully prevalent (but I saw that the swollen neck sickness was painfully common). By the roadside were many crosses, and as we swept by, my companions all crossed themselves. Here and there was a peasant man or woman kneeling before a shrine (Here and there a country man or woman knelt before a holy stand), who did not even turn round as we approached, but seemed in the self-surrender of devotion to have neither eyes nor ears for the outer world (but seemed, in giving themselves up to worship, to have neither eyes nor ears for the world outside). There were many things new to me: for instance, hay-ricks in the trees (for one thing, stacks of dried grass built up in the trees), and here and there very beautiful masses of weeping birch, their white stems shining like silver through the delicate green of the leaves (and here and there very beautiful banks of hanging white-barked trees, their pale trunks shining like silver through the fine green of the leaves). Now and again we passed a leiter-wagon--the ordinary peasant’s cart--with its long, snake-like vertebra (Now and then we passed a ladder wagon, the ordinary country cart, with its long snake-like backbone), calculated to suit the inequalities of the road (made on purpose to take the ups and downs of the road). On this were sure to be seated quite a group of home-coming peasants, the Cszeks with their white, and the Slovaks with their coloured, sheepskins (the Czechs in white sheep hides and the Slovaks in coloured ones), the latter carrying lance-fashion their long staves, with axe at end (the last of these holding their long poles like spears, with a cutting blade at the end). As the evening fell it began to get very cold, and the growing twilight seemed to merge into one dark mistiness the gloom of the trees (the growing half light seemed to run the darkness of the trees together into one dim haze), oak, beech, and pine (the darkness of the trees, oak, beech and pine), though in the valleys which ran deep between the spurs of the hills, as we ascended through the Pass (though in the valleys that ran deep between the reaching-out ridges of the hills, as we climbed through the Pass), the dark firs stood out here and there against the background of late-lying snow (the dark pointed trees stood out here and there against the backing of snow still not melted). Sometimes, as the road was cut through the pine woods that seemed in the darkness to be closing down upon us, great masses of greyness, which here and there bestrewed the trees, produced a peculiarly weird and solemn effect (great banks of grey, scattered here and there over the trees, made a strangely uncanny and serious impression), which carried on the thoughts and grim fancies engendered earlier in the evening (which carried on the thoughts and dark imaginings born earlier that evening), when the falling sunset threw into strange relief the ghost-like clouds (when the dying sunset made the ghost-like clouds stand out strangely) which amongst the Carpathians seem to wind ceaselessly through the valleys (which among the Carpathians seem to twist endlessly through the valleys). Sometimes the hills were so steep that, despite our driver’s haste, the horses could only go slowly (for all our driver's hurry, the horses could only move slowly). I wished to get down and walk up them, as we do at home, but the driver would not hear of it (but the driver would not listen to it). “No, no,” he said; “you must not walk here; the dogs are too fierce”; and then he added, with what he evidently meant for grim pleasantry (and then he added, with what he plainly meant as a dark joke)--for he looked round to catch the approving smile of the rest (since he looked round for a smile of agreement from the others)--“and you may have enough of such matters before you go to sleep.” The only stop he would make was a moment’s pause to light his lamps (The one stop he would make was a moment's halt to light his lamps).

When it grew dark there seemed to be some excitement amongst the passengers (When it grew dark the travellers seemed to be stirred up about something), and they kept speaking to him, one after the other (and they kept speaking to the driver, one after another), as though urging him to further speed (as though pressing him to go faster still). He lashed the horses unmercifully with his long whip (He struck the horses without mercy with his long whip), and with wild cries of encouragement urged them on to further exertions (and with wild shouts of urging drove them to work harder still). Then through the darkness I could see a sort of patch of grey light ahead of us (Then through the dark I could make out a kind of patch of grey light in front of us), as though there were a cleft in the hills (as though there were a split in the hills). The excitement of the passengers grew greater (The travellers grew more worked up still); the crazy coach rocked on its great leather springs, and swayed like a boat tossed on a stormy sea (the shaky coach rocked on its great skin bands and swung like a boat thrown about on a rough sea). I had to hold on. The road grew more level, and we appeared to fly along (I had to hold on. The road flattened out and we seemed to fly along it). Then the mountains seemed to come nearer to us on each side and to frown down upon us (Then the mountains seemed to close in on each side and to look down on us with a threatening face); we were entering on the Borgo Pass (we were coming into the Borgo Pass, the gap between the mountains). One by one several of the passengers offered me gifts (One by one several of the travellers held out presents to me), which they pressed upon me with an earnestness which would take no denial (which they pushed on me so seriously that no refusal was possible); these were certainly of an odd and varied kind (these were certainly strange and of many different sorts), but each was given in simple good faith, with a kindly word, and a blessing (but each was given in plain honesty, with a kind word and a wish for good), and that strange mixture of fear-meaning movements which I had seen outside the hotel at Bistritz (and that strange mix of fear-signalling movements I had seen outside the hotel at Bistritz)--the sign of the cross and the guard against the evil eye. Then, as we flew along, the driver leaned forward (Then, as we rushed on, the driver leaned forward), and on each side the passengers, craning over the edge of the coach, peered eagerly into the darkness (stretching their necks over the edge of the coach, looked keenly into the dark). It was evident that something very exciting was either happening or expected (It was clear that something stirring was either going on or being looked for), but though I asked each passenger, no one would give me the slightest explanation (but though I asked every traveller, not one would tell me the least thing about it). This state of excitement kept on for some little time (This worked-up state went on for a little while); and at last we saw before us the Pass opening out on the eastern side (and at last we saw in front of us the Pass opening out on the eastern side). There were dark, rolling clouds overhead, and in the air the heavy, oppressive sense of thunder (There were dark rolling clouds above, and in the air the heavy pressing feel of a coming storm). It seemed as though the mountain range had separated two atmospheres (It seemed as though the line of mountains had split two kinds of air apart), and that now we had got into the thunderous one (and that we had now come into the storm-heavy one). I was now myself looking out for the conveyance which was to take me to the Count (I was now watching for the carriage that was to take me to the Count). Each moment I expected to see the glare of lamps through the blackness; but all was dark (Every moment I looked for the blaze of lamps through the black; but everything stayed dark). The only light was the flickering rays of our own lamps, in which the steam from our hard-driven horses rose in a white cloud (in which the mist off our hard-driven horses rose in a white cloud). We could see now the sandy road lying white before us (We could now see the sandy road lying white in front of us), but there was on it no sign of a vehicle (but on it there was no sign of any carriage). The passengers drew back with a sigh of gladness, which seemed to mock my own disappointment (The travellers sat back with a breath of relief that seemed to make fun of my own letdown). I was already thinking what I had best do, when the driver, looking at his watch (I was already thinking what to do for the best when the driver, looking at his watch), said to the others something which I could hardly hear, it was spoken so quietly and in so low a tone (it was said so quietly and in so low a voice); I thought it was “An hour less than the time.” Then turning to me, he said in German worse than my own (Then turning to me, he spoke in German worse than my own):--

“There is no carriage here. The Herr is not expected after all (“There is no carriage here. The gentleman is not looked for after all). He will now come on to Bukovina, and return to-morrow or the next day; better the next day (He will now go on to Bukovina and come back tomorrow or the day after. The day after would be better).” Whilst he was speaking the horses began to neigh and snort and plunge wildly (While he was speaking the horses began to cry out, blow hard through their noses and throw themselves about wildly), so that the driver had to hold them up (so that the driver had to hold them in). Then, amongst a chorus of screams from the peasants and a universal crossing of themselves (Then, in the middle of screams from the country people and everybody making the sign of the cross), a calèche, with four horses (a light open carriage with four horses), drove up behind us, overtook us, and drew up beside the coach (a light open carriage with four horses came up behind us, passed us, and pulled up alongside the coach). I could see from the flash of our lamps, as the rays fell on them, that the horses were coal-black and splendid animals (By the flash of our lamps falling on them I could see the horses were coal black and splendid beasts). They were driven by a tall man, with a long brown beard and a great black hat (They were driven by a tall man with a long brown beard and a big black hat), which seemed to hide his face from us (which seemed to keep his face hidden from us). I could only see the gleam of a pair of very bright eyes, which seemed red in the lamplight (All I could see was the shine of a pair of very bright eyes, which looked red in the lamp light), as he turned to us. He said to the driver (as he turned to us. He said to our driver):--

“You are early to-night, my friend.” The man stammered in reply (“You are early tonight, my friend.” The man answered in broken pieces):--

“The English Herr was in a hurry,” to which the stranger replied:--

“That is why, I suppose, you wished him to go on to Bukovina (“That is why, I take it, you wanted him to go on to Bukovina). You cannot deceive me, my friend; I know too much, and my horses are swift (You cannot fool me, my friend. I know too much, and my horses are fast).” As he spoke he smiled, and the lamplight fell on a hard-looking mouth, with very red lips and sharp-looking teeth, as white as ivory (and the lamp light fell on a hard mouth with very red lips and sharp teeth, as white as tusk bone). One of my companions whispered to another the line from Burger’s “Lenore” (One of my fellow travellers whispered to another the line from Burger's poem Lenore):--

“Denn die Todten reiten schnell”-- (“For the dead travel fast.”) (In German: for the dead travel fast)

The strange driver evidently heard the words, for he looked up with a gleaming smile (The strange driver plainly heard the words, for he looked up with a shining smile). The passenger turned his face away, at the same time putting out his two fingers and crossing himself (The traveller turned his face away, at the same moment holding out his two fingers and making the sign of the cross). “Give me the Herr’s luggage,” said the driver (Hand me the gentleman's bags, said the driver); and with exceeding alacrity my bags were handed out and put in the calèche (and with remarkable quickness my bags were passed out and put into the light carriage). Then I descended from the side of the coach, as the calèche was close alongside (Then I climbed down from the side of the coach, since the light carriage was right alongside), the driver helping me with a hand which caught my arm in a grip of steel; his strength must have been prodigious (the driver helping me with a hand that took my arm in a hold like iron. His strength must have been huge). Without a word he shook his reins, the horses turned, and we swept into the darkness of the Pass (Without a word he shook the guiding straps, the horses turned, and we swung off into the dark of the Pass). As I looked back I saw the steam from the horses of the coach by the light of the lamps, and projected against it the figures of my late companions crossing themselves (and against it the shapes of my former fellow travellers making the sign of the cross). Then the driver cracked his whip and called to his horses, and off they swept on their way to Bukovina (Then our old driver snapped his whip and called to his horses, and off they went on their way to Bukovina). As they sank into the darkness I felt a strange chill, and a lonely feeling came over me (As they went down into the dark a strange cold came over me, and a feeling of being alone); but a cloak was thrown over my shoulders, and a rug across my knees (but a cloak was laid over my shoulders and a thick blanket across my knees), and the driver said in excellent German (and the new driver said in very good German):--

“The night is chill, mein Herr (The night is cold, my good sir, he said), and my master the Count bade me take all care of you (and my master the Count told me to take every care of you). There is a flask of slivovitz (the plum brandy of the country) underneath the seat, if you should require it (There is a bottle of slivovitz, the plum spirit of this country, under the seat, if you should want it).” I did not take any, but it was a comfort to know it was there all the same (None of it was taken by me, but it was a comfort to know it was there all the same). I felt a little strangely, and not a little frightened (I felt somewhat odd, and more than a little afraid). I think had there been any alternative I should have taken it, instead of prosecuting that unknown night journey (I believe that had there been any other choice I would have taken it, rather than carry on that unknown night journey). The carriage went at a hard pace straight along, then we made a complete turn and went along another straight road (The carriage went fast straight ahead, then we turned right round and went along another straight road). It seemed to me that we were simply going over and over the same ground again (It seemed to me we were simply covering the same ground again and again); and so I took note of some salient point, and found that this was so (so I marked some standing-out feature, and found that it was true). I would have liked to have asked the driver what this all meant, but I really feared to do so (I would have liked to ask the driver what it all meant, but truly I was afraid to), for I thought that, placed as I was, any protest would have had no effect (for I thought that, in the position I was in, any objection would have done no good) in case there had been an intention to delay (if there had in fact been a plan to hold things up). By-and-by, however, as I was curious to know how time was passing (After a while, though, wanting to know how the time was going), I struck a match, and by its flame looked at my watch; it was within a few minutes of midnight (I struck a light and by its flame looked at my watch. It was within a few minutes of midnight). This gave me a sort of shock, for I suppose the general superstition about midnight was increased by my recent experiences (for I take it the common old fear of midnight was made worse by what had lately happened to me). I waited with a sick feeling of suspense (I waited with a sick feeling of not knowing what was coming).

Then a dog began to howl somewhere in a farmhouse far down the road (Then a dog began to cry long and loud somewhere in a farmhouse far down the road)--a long, agonised wailing, as if from fear (a long crying sound full of pain, as though out of fear). The sound was taken up by another dog, and then another and another (The sound was picked up by another dog, and then another and another), till, borne on the wind which now sighed softly through the Pass (until, carried on the wind that now breathed softly through the Pass), a wild howling began, which seemed to come from all over the country (a wild crying began that seemed to come from the whole country round), as far as the imagination could grasp it through the gloom of the night (as far as the mind could take it in through the dark of the night). At the first howl the horses began to strain and rear (At the first long cry the horses began to pull hard and lift their front feet off the ground), but the driver spoke to them soothingly, and they quieted down (but the driver spoke to them calmingly and they settled), but shivered and sweated as though after a runaway from sudden fright (but shook and sweated as though after bolting away from a sudden fright). Then, far off in the distance, from the mountains on each side of us began a louder and a sharper howling (Then far off, from the mountains on each side of us, a louder and sharper crying began)--that of wolves--which affected both the horses and myself in the same way (that of wolves, which worked on both the horses and me in the same way)--for I was minded to jump from the calèche and run, whilst they reared again and plunged madly (for I had it in mind to jump from the carriage and run, while they rose again on their back legs and threw themselves about wildly), so that the driver had to use all his great strength to keep them from bolting (so that the driver had to use all his great strength to stop them running off). In a few minutes, however, my own ears got accustomed to the sound (In a few minutes, though, my own ears got used to the sound), and the horses so far became quiet that the driver was able to descend and to stand before them (the horses grew quiet enough for the driver to climb down and stand in front of them). He petted and soothed them, and whispered something in their ears, as I have heard of horse-tamers doing (He stroked and calmed them and whispered something in their ears, as I have heard men who break horses do), and with extraordinary effect, for under his caresses they became quite manageable again, though they still trembled (for under his stroking hands they became easy to handle again, though they still shook). The driver again took his seat, and shaking his reins, started off at a great pace (The driver took his seat again and, shaking the guiding straps, set off at a great speed). This time, after going to the far side of the Pass (This time, after going to the far side of the Pass), he suddenly turned down a narrow roadway which ran sharply to the right (he turned all at once down a narrow track that ran sharply to the right).

Soon we were hemmed in with trees, which in places arched right over the roadway (Soon we were shut in by trees, which in places bent right over the road) till we passed as through a tunnel (so that we went through as if along a covered passage); and again great frowning rocks guarded us boldly on either side (and again great rocks with a threatening look stood over us on both sides). Though we were in shelter, we could hear the rising wind (Though we were out of it, we could hear the wind getting up), for it moaned and whistled through the rocks (for it made a low sad sound and whistled through the rocks), and the branches of the trees crashed together as we swept along (and the tree branches banged together as we rushed along). It grew colder and colder still (It grew colder and colder), and fine, powdery snow began to fall, so that soon we and all around us were covered with a white blanket (and fine dust-like snow began to fall, so that soon we and everything round us were covered in a white sheet). The keen wind still carried the howling of the dogs, though this grew fainter as we went on our way (The sharp wind still carried the dogs' crying, though it grew weaker as we went on). The baying of the wolves sounded nearer and nearer (The deep calling of the wolves came nearer and nearer), as though they were closing round on us from every side (as though they were drawing in on us from every side). I grew dreadfully afraid, and the horses shared my fear (I became dreadfully afraid, and the horses were afraid with me). The driver, however, was not in the least disturbed (The driver, though, was not troubled in the least); he kept turning his head to left and right, but I could not see anything through the darkness (he kept turning his head left and right, but I could see nothing through the dark).

Suddenly, away on our left, I saw a faint flickering blue flame (All at once, away to our left, I saw a faint wavering blue flame). The driver saw it at the same moment; he at once checked the horses, and, jumping to the ground, disappeared into the darkness (he pulled the horses up at once and, jumping down, went out of sight into the dark). I did not know what to do, the less as the howling of the wolves grew closer (I did not know what to do, all the less as the crying of the wolves came nearer); but while I wondered the driver suddenly appeared again (but while I was still asking myself, the driver came back all at once), and without a word took his seat, and we resumed our journey (and without a word took his seat again, and we went on with our journey). I think I must have fallen asleep and kept dreaming of the incident (I think sleep must have taken me and I kept dreaming of what had happened), for it seemed to be repeated endlessly, and now looking back, it is like a sort of awful nightmare (for it seemed to happen over and over without end, and looking back now it is like a kind of dreadful bad dream). Once the flame appeared so near the road, that even in the darkness around us I could watch the driver’s motions (Once the flame came so near the road that even in the dark round us I could watch what the driver did). He went rapidly to where the blue flame arose--it must have been very faint, for it did not seem to illumine the place around it at all (He went quickly to where the blue flame rose. It must have been very weak, for it did not seem to light up the ground round it at all)--and gathering a few stones, formed them into some device (and gathering a few stones, set them into some pattern). Once there appeared a strange optical effect: when he stood between me and the flame he did not obstruct it (Once there came a strange trick of sight: when he stood between me and the flame he did not block it), for I could see its ghostly flicker all the same. This startled me, but as the effect was only momentary (This gave me a shock, but as it lasted only a moment), I took it that my eyes deceived me straining through the darkness (I put it down to my eyes fooling me as they strained through the dark). Then for a time there were no blue flames (Then for a while there were no blue flames), and we sped onwards through the gloom, with the howling of the wolves around us (and we hurried on through the dark, with the wolves crying all round us), as though they were following in a moving circle (as though they were coming after us in a moving ring).

At last there came a time when the driver went further afield than he had yet gone (At last there came a time when the driver went further off than he had yet gone), and during his absence, the horses began to tremble worse than ever and to snort and scream with fright (the horses began to shake worse than ever and to blow hard and scream with fear). I could not see any cause for it, for the howling of the wolves had ceased altogether; but just then the moon, sailing through the black clouds, appeared behind the jagged crest of a beetling, pine-clad rock (but just then the moon, moving through the black clouds, showed behind the ragged top of an overhanging pine-covered rock), and by its light I saw around us a ring of wolves, with white teeth and lolling red tongues (and by its light I saw round us a ring of wolves, with white teeth and red tongues hanging out), with long, sinewy limbs and shaggy hair (with long stringy legs and rough shaggy hair). They were a hundred times more terrible in the grim silence which held them than even when they howled (They were a hundred times more terrible in the hard silence that held them than even when they had cried out). For myself, I felt a sort of paralysis of fear (For my own part, fear left me unable to move). It is only when a man feels himself face to face with such horrors that he can understand their true import (It is only when a man stands face to face with such horrors that he can understand what they truly mean).

All at once the wolves began to howl (All at once the wolves began to cry out long and loud) as though the moonlight had had some peculiar effect on them (as though the moonlight had worked on them in some strange way). The horses jumped about and reared (The horses leapt about and rose on their back legs), and looked helplessly round with eyes that rolled in a way painful to see (and looked round without hope with eyes that turned in a way that hurt to watch); but the living ring of terror encompassed them on every side; and they had perforce to remain within it (but the living ring of fear closed them in on every side, and they were forced to stay inside it). I called to the coachman to come, for it seemed to me that our only chance was to try to break out through the ring (I called to the driver to come, for it seemed to me our one chance was to try to break out through the ring) and to aid his approach. I shouted and beat the side of the calèche (I shouted and beat on the side of the carriage), hoping by the noise to scare the wolves from that side, so as to give him a chance of reaching the trap (hoping the noise would frighten the wolves off that side and give him a chance to reach the carriage). How he came there, I know not (How he got there, I do not know), but I heard his voice raised in a tone of imperious command (but I heard his voice lifted in the tone of a man used to being obeyed), and looking towards the sound, saw him stand in the roadway (and looking towards the sound, saw him standing in the road). As he swept his long arms, as though brushing aside some impalpable obstacle (As he swung his long arms, as though sweeping aside something in the way that could not be touched), the wolves fell back and back further still (the wolves drew back and further back still). Just then a heavy cloud passed across the face of the moon, so that we were again in darkness (Just then a heavy cloud crossed the face of the moon, so that we were in the dark once more).

When I could see again the driver was climbing into the calèche (When I could see again the driver was climbing back into the light carriage), and the wolves had disappeared. This was all so strange and uncanny that a dreadful fear came upon me (All this was so strange and outside nature that a dreadful fear came over me), and I was afraid to speak or move. The time seemed interminable as we swept on our way (The time seemed to have no end as we hurried on our way), now in almost complete darkness, for the rolling clouds obscured the moon (for the rolling clouds hid the moon). We kept on ascending, with occasional periods of quick descent, but in the main always ascending (We kept on climbing, with now and then a short quick drop, but on the whole always climbing). Suddenly, I became conscious of the fact that the driver was in the act of pulling up the horses (All at once I saw that the driver was in the middle of pulling the horses up) in the courtyard of a vast ruined castle, from whose tall black windows came no ray of light (in the walled yard of a huge broken-down castle, from whose tall black windows came no beam of light), and whose broken battlements showed a jagged line against the moonlit sky (and whose broken wall tops showed a ragged line against the moonlit sky).