Page 292 - DRACULA

Dracula

The sharp teeth clamped together. Then her eyes closed,
and she breathed heavily.
Very shortly after she opened her eyes in all their
softness, and putting out her poor, pale, thin hand, took

Van Helsing’s great brown one, drawing it close to her,
she kissed it. ‘My true friend,’ she said, in a faint voice, but
with untellable pathos, ‘My true friend, and his! Oh, guard
him, and give me peace!’
‘I swear it!’ he said solemnly, kneeling beside her and
holding up his hand, as one who registers an oath. Then
he turned to Arthur, and said to him, ‘Come, my child,
take her hand in yours, and kiss her on the forehead, and
only once.’
Their eyes met instead of their lips, and so they parted.
Lucy’s eyes closed, and Van Helsing, who had been
watching closely, took Arthur’s arm, and drew him away.
And then Lucy’s breathing became stertorous again,
and all at once it ceased.
‘It is all over,’ said Van Helsing. ‘She is dead!’
I took Arthur by the arm, and led him away to the
drawing room, where he sat down, and covered his face
with his hands, sobbing in a way that nearly broke me
down to see.

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