I helped the Professor in, and followed him.

There was no one in the kitchen or in the servants' rooms, which were close at hand.

We tried all the rooms as we went along, and in the dining room, dimly lit by rays of light through the shutters, found four servant women lying on the floor.

There was no need to think them dead, for their stertorous breathing and the acrid smell of laudanum in the room left no doubt as to their condition.
Van Helsing and I looked at each other, and as we moved away he said, "We can attend to them later." Then we ascended to Lucy's room.

For an instant or two we paused at the door to listen, but there was no sound that we could hear.