"What have we done, what has this poor thing done, that we are so sore beset?
Is there fate amongst us still, send down from the pagan world of old, that such things must be, and in such way?
This poor mother, all unknowing, and all for the best as she think, does such thing as lose her daughter body and soul, and we must not tell her, we must not even warn her, or she die, then both die.

Oh, how we are beset! How are all the powers of the devils against us!" Suddenly he jumped to his feet.

"Come," he said, "come, we must see and act.

Devils or no devils, or all the devils at once, it matters not.
We must fight him all the same." He went to the hall door for his bag, and together we went up to Lucy's room.
Once again I drew up the blind, whilst Van Helsing went towards the bed.

This time he did not start as he looked on the poor face with the same awful, waxen pallor as before.