He asked me to put all my papers together and left. I began to look at some of the books around me. One was an atlas of England. I found certain places marked with little rings,[36] one was near London on the east side, where his new estate was situated; the other two were Exeter[37] and Whitby[38] on the Yorkshire coast.[39]

In an hour the Count returned. “Aha!” he said. “Still at your books? Good! But you must not work always. Come; your supper is ready.”

He took my arm, and we went into the next room, where I found an excellent supper ready on the table. The Count again excused himself, as he had dined already. But he sat as on the previous night, and chatted while I ate.

After supper I smoked, as on the last evening, and the Count stayed with me, chatting and asking different questions, hour after hour. All at once[40] we heard the crow of a cock; Count Dracula jumped to his feet and said, “Why, there is the morning again! You must make your conversation regarding my dear new country of England less interesting, so that I may not forget how time flies,” and, with a courtly bow, he quickly left me.

I went into my own room and drew the curtains; my window opened into the courtyard, all I could see was the warm grey sky. So I pulled the curtains again.

8 May. – I have only the Count to speak with, and he – I fear I am myself the only living soul here.

I only slept a few hours when I went to bed, and got up. I had hung my shaving glass by the window, and was just beginning to shave. And I made a cut. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder, and heard the Count’s voice saying to me, “Good morning.” But I had not seen him, even though the reflection of the glass covered the whole room behind me. I answered the Count’s salutation and turned to the glass again to see how I had been mistaken. This time there was no error, for the man was close to me, and I could see him over my shoulder. But there was no reflection of him in the mirror! The whole room behind me was displayed; but there was no sign of a man in it, except myself. At the instant I saw that the cut had bled a little,[41] and the blood was trickling over my chin. I laid down the razor, and turned to look for some plaster. When the Count saw my face, his eyes blazed with a demoniac fury, and he suddenly made a grab at my throat. I drew away, and his hand touched the little cross. It made an instant change in him, for the fury passed very quickly.

“Take care!,[42]” he said, “It is more dangerous than you think in this country.”

Then he seized my shaving glass and went on, “It is guilty, this wretched thing! Away with it!”

He opened the heavy window and flung out the glass, which has shattered into a thousand pieces on the stones of the courtyard far below. Then he left without a word.

When I went into the dining room, the breakfast was prepared; but I could not find the Count anywhere. So I had my breakfast alone. It is strange but it seems to me that the Count does not eat or drink. He must be a very peculiar man!

After breakfast I did a little exploring in the castle. First, about the castle. It is situated on the edge of a terrible precipice. As far as the eye can reach is a sea of green tree tops.

I explored further; doors, doors, doors everywhere, and all locked. There is no place to exit from the castle. The castle is a veritable prison, and I am a prisoner!

When I found that I was a prisoner, I rushed up and down the stairs. I was trying to open every door and every window I could find. I understood that I was helpless, and I sat down quietly and began to think over what to do best of all.