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They lifted off the body of my dear mother , and laid her , covered up with a sheet , on the bed after I had got up . They were all so frightened and nervous that I directed them to go to the dining - room and have each a glass of wine . The door flew open for an instant and closed again . The maids shrieked , and then went in a body to the dining - room ; and I laid what flowers I had on my dear mother’s breast . When they were there I remembered what Dr . Van Helsing had told me , but I didn’t like to remove them , and , besides , I would have some of the servants to sit up with me now . I was surprised that the maids did not come back . I called them , but got no answer , so I went to the dining - room to look for them . My heart sank when I saw what had happened . They all four lay helpless on the floor , breathing heavily . The decanter of sherry was on the table half full , but there was a queer , acrid smell about . I was suspicious , and examined the decanter . It smelt of laudanum , and looking on the sideboard , I found that the bottle which mother’s doctor uses for her — oh ! did use — was empty . What am I to do ? what am I to do ? I am back in the room with mother . I cannot leave her , and I am alone , save for the sleeping servants , whom some one has drugged . Alone with the dead ! I dare not go out , for I can hear the low howl of the wolf through the broken window . The air seems full of specks , floating and circling in the draught from the window , and the lights burn blue and dim . What am I to do ? God shield me from harm this night ! I shall hide this paper in my breast , where they shall find it when they come to lay me out . My dear mother gone ! It is time that I go too . Good - bye , dear Arthur , if I should not survive this night . God keep you , dear , and God help me ! CHAPTER XII DR . SEWARD’S DIARY 18 September . — I drove at once to Hillingham and arrived early . Keeping my cab at the gate , I went up the avenue alone . I knocked gently and rang as quietly as possible , for I feared to disturb Lucy or her mother , and hoped to only bring a servant to the door . After a while , finding no response , I knocked and rang again ; still no answer . I cursed the laziness of the servants that they should lie abed at such an hour — for it was now ten o’clock — and so rang and knocked again , but more impatiently , but still without response . Hitherto I had blamed only the servants , but now a terrible fear began to assail me . Was this desolation but another link in the chain of doom which seemed drawing tight around us ? Was it indeed a house of death to which I had come , too late ? I knew that minutes , even seconds of delay , might mean hours of danger to Lucy , if she had had again one of those frightful relapses ; and I went round the house to try if I could find by chance an entry anywhere .
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