Chapter One
Journey to Transylvania
In early 1897, the London lawyer Jonathan Harker from London to Transylvania to meet a client named Count Dracula.
3May
Count Dracula told me to stay at the Golden Krone Hotel Bistritz.
This is a scenic town in the shadow of the Carpathian Mountains.
As soon as I arrived, the innkeeper’s wife gave me a letter.
It read,
My friend,
Welcome to the Carpathians.
Sleep well tonight. At three tomorrow
afternoon, a coach will leave for the
town of Bukovina. I have reserved a seat for you
Your friend,
Dracula
4May
When I asked the innkeeper about the Count, he acted Strangely.
Before, he understood my basic German well.
But when I asked about Dracula, he told me he didn't understand.
Finally, after I kept asking, they told me that they knew nothing.
This was all very odd.
Just as I had finished packing my suitcase for the trip, the old lady nervously came into my room.
"YOUNG Herr, do you really have to go?" She asked.
She asked me if I really knew where and what I was going to do.
"What silliness" I thought. I helped her stand up and told her firmly that it was my business to go, and nothing could interfere with that.
She wiped tears from her eyes.
Then she took off the crucifix that hung around her neck and put it around my neck.
For your mother's," she said before leaving my room.
I am writing this as I wait for the coach.
There are many townspeople around the inn talking about me.
If I am right, these words are "Ordog,"which means Satan, and "vrolok," which means something that is either wolf or vampire.
These are quaint superstitions.
Here comes the coach now.
5May
I am at count Dracula's castle now.
The journey took many hours, and it was a strange one.
We soon left the inn behind and entered a wild and beautiful countryside.
The afternoon sun brought out all the glorious colors of this beautiful range
Soon the sun sank low behind us.
At dark, the passengers became excited, and it seemed they were urging the driver to go faster.
He lashed the horses unmercifully with his long whip to pick up their speed.
Then the mountaintop closed in on either side.
We were entering the Borgo Pass.
I was looking for a driver who would take me to the Count.
I expected to see lamps through the blackness, but all was dark.
I was thinking about what I was going to do when the driver, looking at his watch, said, "There is no coach waiting for your here.
Perhaps the Count does not expect you after all.
This caused our horses to become agitated, and my fellow passengers all shouted and made the sign of the cross.
Four beautiful horses pulled the new coach alongside our own.
The driver was a tall man with a long brown beard.
He said to the driver,"You are early tonight,my friend."
The man stammered in reply, "The English Herr was in a hurry."
To which the stranger replied, "That is why, I suppose, you wished him to go on to Bukovina.
You cannot deceive me, my friend.
I know too much,and my horses are swift."
"Give me the Here's luggage," he said, and my bags were quickly handed out and put in the other coach.
As I changed coaches, my new driver leapt down and helped me in.
He help my arm grip of steel.
Then he leapt up to his seat, shook his reins, and we lurched forward, hurtling through the night.
This is where my journey became even stranger.
At first, I thought we were going around in a circle.
By this time, we were near the far side of the pass.
I do not recall falling asleep, but l must have.
It seemed like we traveled a long way before the coach suddenly stopped.
I snapped to my senses and saw that we were in the courtyard of an ancient, crumbling castle, and were before a huge wooden door.
The driver was already on the ground with my luggage.
He helped me out with the same iron grip as before.
Then he jumped up without a word, shook the reins, turned the coach around and disappeared.
What sort of place had I come to? What sort of grim adventure was I on?
These questions were interrupted by the sound of the great door opening.
There was not a drop of color anywhere about him, even in his pale, white face.
He motioned to me very formally with his right hand.
His English was excellent, but he spoke with a strange intonation.
"Welcome to my house! Enter freely and of your own free will!"
However, it possessed the same unnatural strength as that of the driver.
I was so surprised that for a minute, I thought that he was the driver. To make sure, I suddenly said, "Count Dracula?"
He bowed formally as he replied, "l am Dracula, and l bid you welcome, Mr.Harker, to my house.
Come in. You must need to eat and rest."
We went up a great winding stair and along a great passage.
At the end of this, he threw open a heavy door, and I rejoiced to see within a well-lit dining room.
In the large fireplace, a bright, hot fire flared.
The Count opened another door, which led into a great bedroom warmed with another log fire.
The Count left my luggage inside and said, "When you are ready, you will find your supper prepared in the dining room."
All my doubts and fears vanished.
I realized that I was starving.
After washing up quickly, I went to eat.
My host made a graceful wave ot the table,and said, "Please enjoy your dinner.
Excuse the fact that I have already eaten."