Letter, Dr. Seward to Hon. Arthur Holmwood

           3September 

           "MydearArt, 

           "VanHelsinghascomeandgone. HecameonwithmetoHillingham,andfoundthat,byLucy’sdiscretion,hermotherwaslunchingout,sothatwewerealonewithher. 

           "VanHelsingmadeaverycarefulexaminationofthepatient. Heistoreporttome,andIshalladviseyou,forofcourseIwasnotpresentallthetime. Heis,Ifear,muchconcerned,butsayshemustthink. WhenItoldhimofourfriendshipandhowyoutrusttomeinthematter,hesaid, ‘Youmusttellhimallyouthink. TellhimhimwhatIthink,ifyoucanguessit,ifyouwill. Nay,Iamnotjesting. Thisisnojest,butlifeanddeath,perhapsmore.’ Iaskedwhathemeantbythat,forhewasveryserious. Thiswaswhenwehadcomebacktotown,andhewashavingacupofteabeforestartingonhisreturntoAmsterdam. Hewouldnotgivemeanyfurtherclue. Youmustnotbeangrywithme,Art,becausehisveryreticencemeansthatallhisbrainsareworkingforhergood. Hewillspeakplainlyenoughwhenthetimecomes,besure. SoItoldhimIwouldsimplywriteanaccountofourvisit,justasifIweredoingadescriptivespecialarticleforTHEDAILYTELEGRAPH. Heseemednottonotice,butremarkedthatthesmutsofLondonwerenotquitesobadastheyusedtobewhenhewasastudenthere. Iamtogethisreporttomorrowifhecanpossiblymakeit. InanycaseIamtohavealetter. 

           "Well,astothevisit,LucywasmorecheerfulthanonthedayIfirstsawher,andcertainlylookedbetter. Shehadlostsomethingoftheghastlylookthatsoupsetyou,andherbreathingwasnormal. ShewasverysweettotheProfessor(asshealwaysis),andtriedtomakehimfeelatease,thoughIcouldseethepoorgirlwasmakingahardstruggleforit.