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Eight boxes only out of the nine , which we sought ! Our work was not over , and would never be until we should have found the missing box . First we opened the shutters of the window which looked out across a narrow stone - flagged yard at the blank face of a stable , pointed to look like the front of a miniature house . There were no windows in it , so we were not afraid of being over - looked . We did not lose any time in examining the chests . With the tools which we had brought with us we opened them , one by one , and treated them as we had treated those others in the old chapel . It was evident to us that the Count was not at present in the house , and we proceeded to search for any of his effects . After a cursory glance at the rest of the rooms , from basement to attic , we came to the conclusion that the dining - room contained any effects which might belong to the Count ; and so we proceeded to minutely examine them . They lay in a sort of orderly disorder on the great dining - room table . There were title deeds of the Piccadilly house in a great bundle ; deeds of the purchase of the houses at Mile End and Bermondsey ; note - paper , envelopes , and pens and ink . All were covered up in thin wrapping paper to keep them from the dust . There were also a clothes brush , a brush and comb , and a jug and basin — the latter containing dirty water which was reddened as if with blood . Last of all was a little heap of keys of all sorts and sizes , probably those belonging to the other houses . When we had examined this last find , Lord Godalming and Quincey Morris taking accurate notes of the various addresses of the houses in the East and the South , took with them the keys in a great bunch , and set out to destroy the boxes in these places . The rest of us are , with what patience we can , waiting their return — or the coming of the Count . CHAPTER XXIII DR . SEWARD’S DIARY 3 October . — The time seemed terribly long whilst we were waiting for the coming of Godalming and Quincey Morris . The Professor tried to keep our minds active by using them all the time . I could see his beneficent purpose , by the side glances which he threw from time to time at Harker . The poor fellow is overwhelmed in a misery that is appalling to see . Last night he was a frank , happy - looking man , with strong , youthful face , full of energy , and with dark brown hair . To - day he is a drawn , haggard old man , whose white hair matches well with the hollow burning eyes and grief - written lines of his face . His energy is still intact ; in fact , he is like a living flame . This may yet be his salvation , for , if all go well , it will tide him over the despairing period ; he will then , in a kind of way , wake again to the realities of life . Poor fellow , I thought my own trouble was bad enough , but his — — ! The Professor knows this well enough , and is doing his best to keep his mind active . What he has been saying was , under the circumstances , of absorbing interest . So well as I can remember , here it is : —
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