Page 369 - DRACULA

Dracula

friend, and such endorsement is dear to me.’ He held out a
hand, which Quincey took.
Then Arthur spoke out, ‘Dr. Van Helsing, I don’t quite
like to ‘buy a pig in a poke’, as they say in Scotland, and if

it be anything in which my honour as a gentleman or my
faith as a Christian is concerned, I cannot make such a
promise. If you can assure me that what you intend does
not violate either of these two, then I give my consent at
once, though for the life of me, I cannot understand what
you are driving at.’
‘I accept your limitation,’ said Van Helsing, ‘and all I
ask of you is that if you feel it necessary to condemn any
act of mine, you will first consider it well and be satisfied
that it does not violate your reservations.’
‘Agreed!’ said Arthur. ‘That is only fair. And now that
the pourparlers are over, may I ask what it is we are to
do?’
‘I want you to come with me, and to come in secret, to
the churchyard at Kingstead.’
Arthur’s face fell as he said in an amazed sort of way,
‘Where poor Lucy is buried?’
The Professor bowed.
Arthur went on, ‘And when there?’
‘To enter the tomb!’

368 of 684