床头灯英语5000词纯英文：吸血鬼(txt+pdf+epub+mobi电子书下载)

作者：(爱)布莱姆·斯托克

出版社：航空工业出版社

格式: AZW3, DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT

床头灯英语5000词纯英文：吸血鬼试读：

◆ 英语是语言的帝国

全球60亿人中，有3.8亿人的母语是英语，2.5亿人的第二母语是英语，12.3亿人学习英语，33.6亿人和英语有关。全世界电视节目的75％、电子邮件的80％、网络的85％、软件源代码的100％都使用英语。40～50年后，全球将有50％的人精通英语。全球约有6000种语言，21世纪末其中的90％将消亡。届时英语作为主导语言的地位将进一步得到提升。

目前中国大约有4亿人在学英语，超过英国和美国的人口总和，这是中国努力与时代接轨、与国际接轨的一个重要标志，大量中国人熟练掌握国际通用语言是中华民族走向繁荣富强的必要保障。

◆ 全民学英语运动

中国近20年来兴起了一场轰轰烈烈的全民学英语的运动。其规模之大，范围之广，古今中外前所未有。

学生、教师、公务员、公司职员、商店店员、出租车司机等，各行各业，都在学英语。其学习过程的漫长，也令人感叹。从幼儿园、小学、中学、大学、硕士、博士，到毕业工作，出国，直至退休，一直都在学，英语的学习可谓是终生性的。

◆ 英语学了多年之后的尴尬

中国人学了多年英语之后，如果冷静地反省一下多年努力的成效，不难发现自己的英语水平令人十分尴尬。这里将具体表现列举一二。

● 读任何原版的英语杂志，如Times（时代）、Newsweek（新闻周刊）、The Economists（经济学家），或者原版小说，如Jane Eyre（简·爱）、Gone with the Wind（飘）等，必须借助词典，因为我们随时都可能读不懂。即便查阅大部头的词典，我们常常还是不能理解文意，将文意理解得面目全非。最为可悲的是我们中很多人已经屈从于这种一知半解的阅读状态，甚至有人还荒唐地认为英语本身就是一门模模糊糊的语言，这样当然就更谈不上尝到读原汁原味英语的乐趣了。

● 学习和探索专业知识的主流载体仍然是汉语。但我们必须清楚：整个现代科学体系基本是用英语来描述和表达的，译成汉语会有一定程度的失真，而且必然导致滞后。

● 英语表达是一个更大的问题。主要体现在用英语写作以及用英语深入交谈上。事实上，大多数人只能用简单的英语来进行粗略的表述，无法顺利地参加国际学术会议或者进行国际贸易谈判。即便是学术水平很高的专家，在国际刊物上发表论文时，只能请仅懂英语不懂专业的人翻译。一篇在很多老外眼中不伦不类的论文就这样产生了。客观地讲，即使采用不太高的标准来衡量，在中国英语学习的失败率也应该在99％以上。

◆ 来自西方的教育理念

中国人读英语有个缺点，学习缺乏渐进性。他们习惯于读满篇都是生词的文章，以为这样“收获”才最大。结果他们的阅读不断地被查词典打断，一小时只能看两三页，读起来自然索然无味，最后只能作罢。这是中国人学英语的通病!读的文章几乎全部达到了语言学家所说的“frustration level”（使学生感到沮丧的程度）。

西方的语言学家和心理学家对英语学习者的阅读状况进行了大量的研究，结论令人非常吃惊：最适宜阅读的难度比我们长期所处的、我们所习惯的、我们头脑中定位的难度要低得多!只有文中生词量小到足以保证阅读的持续性时，语言吸收的效果才最好，语言水平的提高也最快。举个形象的例子：上山是从峭壁直接艰难攀登还是走平缓的盘山路好?显然，能够从峭壁登顶者寥寥无几!即使其能勉强成功，也远远落后于沿坦途行进者。

◆ 犹太民族的启示

曾经有人说：全世界的金钱装在美国人的口袋里，而美国人的金钱却装在犹太人的脑袋里。据统计，犹太人占世界总人口约0.3％，却掌握着世界经济命脉。在全世界最富有的企业家中，犹太人占50％以上。无论是过去和现在，在知名的经济巨头中犹太人占有绝对的比例。如第一个亿万巨富、石油大王洛克菲勒，“美国股神”巴菲特，华尔街的缔造者摩根，花旗集团董事长威尔，“打开个人计算机直销大门”的戴尔，坐在全球软件头把交椅“甲骨文公司”的艾利森，华纳电影公司创办人华纳，电影世界的领头羊斯皮尔伯格，他们都是犹太人。

犹太人成就的背后就是他们的噬书习惯。联合国教科文组织调查表明，全世界读书最多的民族是犹太民族。其中以色列在人均拥有图书和出版社以及每年人均读书的比例上，超过了世界上任何一个国家，成为世界之最，平均每人每年读书64本。与之反差很大的是中华民族，平均每人每年读书0.7本。这之中有阅读习惯的中国人虽占5％，却掌握着中国80％的财富。一句话，阅读，特别是经典名著的阅读，是一个人和民族崛起的最根本方法。

阅读不能改变人生的起点，但它可以改变人生的终点。不论出身高贵与卑贱，阅读都能改变人生的坐标和轨迹。

◆ 通往英语自由境界的阶梯

英语的自由境界指的是用英语自由地学习和工作；自由地阅读英文原版书刊和资料；自如地用英语表达和交流；自然地用英语进行思维；自主地用英语撰写论文和著作。

一个英语达到自由境界的人，他的生活也常常是令人羡慕的。清晨随手拿起一份国外的报纸或者杂志，一边喝着浓浓的咖啡，一边轻松、惬意地阅读。可以用英语自由地进行实质性的交谈和撰写书面材料。能够自由地在英文网页上荡漾，能够随时了解国外的最新科技动态或最新的商贸行情。自己的生存空间不再受到国界的限制，无论是交友、择偶，还是发展自己的事业，都有更宽的、跨国度的选择。

有一定英语基础的读者要想“修成正果”，达到英语的自由境界，最缺少的就是可读之书。市面上的英语读物粗粗看来似乎琳琅满目，但稍一细读就会发现这些语料要么是难度过低，词汇量只有一、两千词的相当于中学水平的简写本；要么是令人望而生畏、读之更是倍受挫折的原著，语料难度脱节甚至是“代沟”，严重地阻碍了英语中高级学习者对英语的掌握。床头灯英语5000词系列填补了这方面的空白，为读者打造了到达英语自由境界的阶梯。

◆ 本套读物的特色——真正适合中高级英语学习者的原汁原味英语读物

● 难度适中：本套读物用英语中核心5000词写成，对于难以理解之处均有注释，使你躺在床上不用翻词典就能顺利地读下去，在不知不觉中走向英语自由境界。

● 语言地道：美国作家执笔，用流畅的现代英语写成，并保留了原著的语言特色。

● 选材经典：皆为一生中不可不读的作品，读之可提高英语水平、积淀西方文化和提高人生境界。

● 情节曲折：让你徜徉在一个又一个迥异奇妙的书中世界。

……

◆ “床头灯”英语系列读物的使用方法：

● 整个床头灯系列包含儿童、中学生、3000词、5000词、6500词等不同层次。你可以选择不用查字典你就能保证阅读的持续性的级别进入，这个级别最少读30本，体会一下用英语读懂名著的感觉——英语形成语感、自信心增强。然后乘胜追击，读下一个级别的，每个级别读30本以上。

● 使用床头灯英语学习读本（英汉对照版）练写作：看书中汉语部分，然后你试着翻译成英文，再把你翻译的英文与书上的英文对比。

本套读物是通向英语自由王国的钥匙，是通往英语最高境界的签证。在中国走向世界的道路上，英语水平决定工资水平！让每天阅读半小时“床头灯”成为你生活中的一部分。我相信这才是英语成功的真谛。

与股神巴菲特吃一顿午餐要花几百万美金，这使人们注意到了与名人交流的昂贵。而与比巴菲特更著名的大家近距离沟通，只需要去读“床头灯”。王若平　于北京人物关系表

Count Dracula 德丘拉伯爵：故事男主人公，表面看是脸色苍白、眼睛腥红的怪人，实为生存了五百年的吸血鬼。

Jonathan Harker 乔纳森·哈克：故事男主人公，地产商人，应邀去会见德丘拉伯爵，从而发生了与这位吸血鬼之后的故事。

Mina Murray 米娜·默雷：乔纳森的未婚妻，两个人成婚后更名为米娜·哈克。因相貌酷似德丘拉伯爵的前妻而成为他的目标，她被吸血鬼抓获，最后被大家齐心救出。

Lucy Westenra 露茜·崴斯特诺：米娜的好友，甜美漂亮，富有魅力，后来被德丘拉伯爵变成了女吸血鬼。

Mrs. Westenra 崴斯特诺夫人：露茜的母亲，在照顾露茜的过程中被德丘拉伯爵害死。

Pete Hawkins 彼得·霍金斯：乔纳森的挚交，将乔纳森视为自己的亲生儿子一般，去世时留给他一大笔财富。

Arthur Holmood(Lord Godalming) 亚瑟·霍尔姆德：露茜的追求者，最后征服了露茜的感情，成功获得芳心，与昆西·P·莫里斯是好友。

Quincey P.Morris 昆西·P·莫里斯：露茜的追求者之一，热情，温柔。最后在与德丘拉伯爵的决战中壮烈牺牲。

John Seward 约翰·西沃德：医生，也是露茜的追求者之一，管理一家大型的精神疗养院。是亚瑟的好友。

R.M.Renfield R·M·伦菲而德：精神病人，是西沃德医生的患者，性格反常冷酷，常做出怪异的举动，是伯爵忠实的追随者。

Abraham Van Helsing 亚伯拉罕·范·海尔森：对吸血鬼深有研究的老教授，善良而足智多谋，曾极力挽救露茜的性命，又组织各位朋友齐心协力勇战吸血鬼，最终从吸血鬼手里成功救出了米娜。故事梗概

地产商人乔纳森·哈克应客户德丘拉伯爵之邀只身来到位于布达佩斯的德丘拉城堡与其商议在伦敦为其购置房产的事情。但在去往德丘拉城堡的途中及到达城堡后，他却经历了许多令人难以置信并且让人感到恐惧的事情。首先是当地人对他的警告让他感到奇怪并有些不安，接着他看到了德丘拉伯爵——一个脸色苍白、眼睛腥红的怪人。住在城堡的日子里，他经历了一系列匪夷所思的事情而且几乎丢掉了自己的性命，但最终他幸运地从城堡中逃了出来。

与此同时，乔纳森的妻子米娜十分担心自己丈夫的安危。她与好友露茜通信告知了露茜她的担忧，并从通信中得知露茜被三个优秀的男子追求并接受了其中一个叫亚瑟的男子。露茜安慰米娜并赶到惠特白镇去陪她，然而就在惠特白镇，一系列奇怪的事情发生了：先是一艘外国船只在一夜暴风雨中沉没、船上的人都离奇的死亡，接着米娜又发现了露茜夜里梦游并且和一个奇怪的男子在一起的事情，而露茜的身体也越来越差。但还没来得及处理这些事情，米娜就收到了乔纳森的消息并立即赶往布达佩斯去看望她的丈夫。

露茜的身体状况越来越差，这使不明其因的亚瑟十分担心并且通知了露茜的追求者之一——西沃德医生。西沃德医生对露茜的状况也束手无策，于是便从荷兰请来了范·海尔森教授。范教授通过对露茜的诊治，一步步意识到事态的严重，他们竭力挽救露西的生命，但最终却失败了。露茜终于被德丘拉伯爵变成了另一个吸血鬼。范教授拜访了米娜并从她那里知道了乔纳森的遭遇，于是他明白了整个事情的经过并把它告诉了追求露茜的三个男子以及乔纳森夫妇。大家一起拯救了露茜的灵魂使之得以安息，而且决定同心协力消灭伯爵以防止他在伦敦散布邪恶……勇士们先整理了关于伯爵的一切资料并进行了认真的分析，决定从破坏伯爵赖以生存的那些箱子入手，通过毁坏这些箱子来消灭伯爵。他们辗转找到了伯爵在伦敦的几处房产，并通过范教授的安排和大家的一致努力消灭了伯爵的四十九只箱子。然而此时，感觉大事不妙的伯爵却带着他的最后一只箱子逃往他的老窝——德丘拉城堡。勇士们一路追踪以求彻底地消灭掉这个一切罪恶的主始。但是，在追击伯爵的途中，米娜又不幸遭到了伯爵的袭击，生命岌岌可危。然而这些困难没能阻挡勇士们前进的脚步。最终，通过不懈的努力，勇士们铲除了伯爵，也拯救了米娜的性命，但是与他们并肩作战的昆西却牺牲了。

小说以当事人的身份来对整个故事展开叙述，其间穿插着种种悬疑事件及主人公之间坚贞的爱情，真实地再现了种种血腥、恐怖、悲泣、感动的场面，读来使人身临其境，欲罢其卷而不能。CHAPTER 1Jonathan Harker's Journal

3 May, Bistritz

Budapest seems a wonderful place, from the glimpse which I got of it from the train and the little I could walk through the streets. The impression I had was that we were leaving the West and entering the East.

We left the capital in pretty good time, and came after 【1】nightfall to Klausenburgh. The little German I speak has been very useful here; indeed, I don't know how I should be able to get on without it.

Having had some time at my disposal when in London, I made search among the books and maps in the library regarding 【2】Transylvania. I found that the district of the nobleman I'm visiting is in the extreme east of the country; one of the wildest and least known portions of Europe. I was not able to light on any map or work 【3】giving the exact locality of the Castle Dracula; but I found that Bistritz, the post town named by Count Dracula, is a fairly well known 【4】place. I read that every known superstition in the world is gathered into this remote area. If so, my stay may be very interesting.

I did not sleep well, though my bed was comfortable enough, for I had all sorts of queer dreams. There was a dog howling all night under my window, which may have had something to do with it. Towards morning I slept and was wakened by the continuous knocking at my 【5】door, so I guess I must have been sleeping soundly then. I had to hurry breakfast, for the train started a little before eight.【6】

It was on the dark side of twilight when we got to Bistritz, which is a very interesting old place. Count Dracula had directed me to go to the Golden Krone Hotel, which I found, to my great delight, to be thoroughly old-fashioned, for of course I wanted to see all, I could, of the ways of the country. At the hotel I was handed a letter by one of the peasants:

“My friend. Welcome to the Carpathians. I am anxiously expecting you. Sleep well tonight. At three tomorrow the carriage will start for Bukovina. At the Borgo Pass my carriage will await you and will bring you to me. Your friend, Dracula.”

4 May

The hotel manager and his wife were acting strangely today. When I asked them if they knew Count Dracula, and could tell me anything of his castle, they both crossed themselves, and said, “Do you know what day it is?” I answered that it was the fourth of May.

She shook her head as she said, “It is the eve of St. George's Day. Do you not know that tonight, when the clock strikes midnight, all the evil things in the world will freely run about? Do you know where you are going, and what you are going to?”

She was in such evident distress that I tried to comfort her, but without effect. Finally, she went down on her knees and begged me not to go; at least to wait a day or two before starting. It was all very ridiculous and I did not feel comfortable.

She then rose and dried her eyes, and taking a cross from her neck offered it to me. I did not know what to do. It seemed so 【7】ungracious to refuse an old lady meaning so well and in such a 【8】state of mind. Whether it is the old lady's fear or the many ghostly traditions of this place, or the cross itself, I do not know, but I am not feeling nearly as easy in my mind as usual.

Ah! Here comes the coach!

5 May, The Castle

When I got on the coach, the driver had not taken his seat, and I 【9】saw him talking to the landlady. They were evidently talking of me, for every now and then they looked at me. I could hear a lot of words often repeated, strange words, for there were many nationalities in the crowd, so I quietly got my dictionary from my bag and looked them up. I must say the words were not cheering to me, for amongst them were 【10】【11】“devil”, “witch” and “vampire.”

When we started, the crowd round the inn door, which had by this time swelled to a considerable size, all made the sign of the cross and pointed two fingers towards me. With some difficulty, I got a fellow passenger to tell me what they meant. He would not answer at first, but on learning that I was English, he explained that it was a charm or guard against the evil eye.

Then our driver cracked his big whip over his four small horses, 【12】which ran abreast, and we set off on our journey. The scenery was beautiful. On either side of us the Carpathian Mountains towered. The road was rough, but still we seemed to fly over it with a 【13】feverish haste. I could not understand then what the haste meant, but the driver was evidently bent on losing no time in reaching Borgo.

As we wound on our endless way, and the sun sank lower and lower behind us, the shadows of the evening began to creep round us. When it finally grew dark there seemed to be some excitement amongst the passengers, and they kept speaking to the driver, one after the other, as though urging him to further speed. He whipped the 【14】horses unmercifully, and with wild cries of encouragement urged them on to further exertions.

The road grew more level, and we appeared to fly along. Then the mountains seemed to come nearer to us on each side and to frown down upon us. We were entering on the Borgo.

The driver now leaned forward, and on each side the passengers, craning over the edge of the coach, peered eagerly into the darkness. It was evident that something very exciting was either happening or expected. Though I asked each passenger, no one would give me the slightest explanation.

At last, we saw before us the Pass opening out on the eastern side. There were dark, rolling clouds overhead, and in the air the 【15】heavy, oppressive sense of thunder. It seemed as though the mountain range had separated two atmospheres, and that now we had 【16】got into the thunderous one.

I was now myself looking out for the carriage which was to take me to the Count, we could see now the sandy road lying white before us, but there was on it no sign of a vehicle. The passengers drew back 【17】with a sigh of gladness, which seemed to mock my own disappointment.

Turning to me, the driver spoke in German worse than my own,“There is no carriage here. The Count is not expected after all. You can go to Bukovina tonight and return tomorrow or the next day.”

While he was speaking, the horses became anxious so that the 【18】driver had to hold them up. Then, amongst a chorus of screams from the peasants and a universal crossing of themselves, a carriage with four horses, drove up behind us, overtook us, and drew up beside the coach.

I could see from the flash of our lamps, as the rays fell on them, that the horses were coal-black and splendid animals. They were driven by a tall man with a long, brown beard and a great black hat, which seemed to hide his face from us. I could only see the 【19】gleam of a pair of very bright eyes, which seemed red in the 【20】lamplight, as he turned to us.

He said to the driver, “You are early tonight, my friend.”【21】

The man stammered in reply, “The Englishman 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.”

As he spoke he smiled, and the lamplight fell on a hard-looking mouth, with very red lips and sharp-looking teeth, as white as

【22】ivory.

The driver threw my bags onto the black carriage and as I tried to get aboard, the driver helped me with a hand which caught my arm in a grip of steel. His strength must have been incredible.【23】

Without a word he shook his reins, the horses turned, and we swept into the darkness of the pass. I felt a little strangely, and not a little frightened. I struck a match, and by its flame, looked at my watch. It was within a few minutes of midnight. This gave me a sort of shock, for I suppose the general superstition about midnight was increased by my recent experiences. I waited with a sick feeling of 【24】suspense.【25】

A wolf began to howl somewhere in a farmhouse far down the road. The sound was taken up by another wolf, and then another and another, till the howling seemed to come from all over the country, 【26】as far as the imagination could grasp it through the gloom of the night.【27】

The night grew colder, and fine, powdery snow began to fall, so that soon we, and all around us, were covered with a white blanket. The baying of the wolves sounded nearer and nearer, as though they were closing round on us from every side.【28】

I grew dreadfull afraid, and the horses shared my fear. The driver, however, was not in the least disturbed. He kept turning his head to left and right, but I could not see anything through the darkness.

Suddenly, away on our left I saw a faint blue flame. The driver saw it at the same moment. He at once checked the horses, and jumping to the ground, disappeared into the darkness. I did not know what to do. The horses began to tremble worse than ever and to scream with fright. I could not see any cause for it, for the howling of the wolves had ceased altogether.

But just then the moon appeared from behind a cloud, and by its light I saw around us a ring of wolves with white teeth, and deep red tongues hanging out of their mouths. For myself, I felt a sort of 【29】paralysis of fear. All at once, the wolves began to howl as though the moonlight had had some peculiar effect on them.【30】

The coachman returned there and raised his voice in a tone 【31】of authoritative command. Standing in the road, he swept his long arms, as though brushing aside some invisible obstacle, and the wolves began to back away.【32】【33】

This was all so strange and unreal that a dreadful fear came upon me, and I was afraid to speak or move.

The time seemed endless as we swept on our way, now in almost 【34】complete darkness, for the rolling clouds obscured the moon. Suddenly, I became conscious of the fact that the driver was in the act of pulling up the horses in the courtyard of a vast ruined castle, from whose tall black windows came no ray of light, and whose broken walls 【35】showed an uneven line against the sky.

注释【1】nightfall［ˈnaitfɔːl］　n.　黄昏，夜幕降临【2】nobleman［nəubəlmən］　n.　贵族，有高贵地位的人【3】locality［ləuˈkæliti］　n.　位置，地点【4】superstition［ˌsjuːpəˈstiʃən］　n.　迷信，盲目的恐惧【5】soundly［ˈsaundli］　adv.　彻底地，非常好【6】twilight［ˈtwailait］　n.　黎明，微光，略知【7】ungracious［ˈʌnˈɡreiʃəs］　adj.　无礼貌的，没有教养的，不合人意的【8】ghostly［ˈɡəustli］　adj.　可怕的，宗教上的，精神上的【9】landlady［ˈlændleidi］　n.　女房东，女地主【10】witch［witʃ］　n.　女巫，迷人的女子【11】vampire［ˈvæmpaiə］　n.　吸血鬼【12】abreast［əˈbrest］　adv.　并排地，并肩地【13】feverish［ˈfiːvəriʃ］　adj.　疯狂的，狂热的【14】unmercifully［ˈʌnˈməːsifuli］　adv.　毫不留情地，无情地【15】oppressive［əˈpresiv］　adj.　沉重的，压制性的【16】thunderous［ˈθʌndərəs］　adj.　雷声轰隆的，打雷的【17】mock［mɔk］　v.　嘲笑，嘲弄，挫败【18】chorus［ˈkɔːrəs］　n.　齐声，合唱【19】gleam［gliːm］　n.　微弱的闪光【20】lamplight［ˈlæmplait］　n.　灯火【21】stammer［ˈstæmə］　v.　结结巴巴地说，口吃【22】ivory［ˈaivəri］　n.　象牙，长牙【23】rein［rein］　n.　情感，激情【24】suspense［səsˈpens］　n.　焦躁，悬念【25】farmhouse［ˈfɑːmhaus］　n.　农家，农舍【26】gloom［ɡluːm］　n.　阴暗，阴沉【27】powdery［ˈpaudəri］　adj.　粉末状的，粉的【28】dreadfully［ˈdredfuli］　adv.　强烈地，可怕地【29】paralysis［pəˈrælisis］　n.　瘫痪，麻痹【30】coachman［ˈkəutʃmæn］　n.　车夫，车马夫【31】authoritative［ɔːˈθɔritətiv］　adj.　威猛的，命令的【32】unreal［ˌʌnˈriəl］　adj.　不可思议的，不真实的【33】dreadful［ˈdredful］　adj.　致命的，可怕的【34】obscure［əbˈskjuə］　v.　遮住，使暗，使不明显【35】uneven［ˈʌniːvən］　adj.　不平的，不均匀的CHAPTER 2Jonathan Harker's Journal (continued)

5 May

When the carriage stopped, the driver jumped down and held out his hand to assist me to exit. Again, I could not but notice his 【1】enormous strength. His hand actually seemed like it could have crushed mine if he had chosen. Then he took my bags and placed them on the ground beside me. As I stood, close to a great door the driver jumped again into his seat and shook the reins. The horses started forward, and carriage and all disappeared down one of the dark openings.【2】

Of bell or knocker there was no sign. The time I waited seemed endless, and I felt doubts and fears crowding upon me. What 【3】【4】sort of grim adventure was it on which I had embarked? Was 【5】【6】this a customary incident in the life of a solicitor sent out to explain the purchase of a London estate to a foreigner?

All I could do now was to be patient, and to wait the coming of morning.

Just as I had come to this conclusion I heard a heavy step approaching behind the great door. Then there was the sound of 【7】rattling chains and of massive bolts being drawn back. A key was turned and the great door swung back.【8】

Within, stood a tall old man, clean-shaven save for a long white moustache, and dressed in black from head to foot, without a single spot of color about him anywhere. He held in his hand an antique silver lamp.【9】

The old man motioned me in with his right hand with a courtly gesture, saying in excellent English, but with a strange accent,“Welcome to my house! Enter freely and of your own free will!”【10】

The instant I stepped over the threshold, he moved 【11】impulsively forward, and holding out his hand, grasped mine. It seemed cold as ice, more like the hand of a dead than a living man. 【12】The strength of the handshake was so similar to that which I had noticed in the driver, whose face I had not seen, that for a moment I doubted if it were not the same person to whom I was speaking. So to 【13】make sure, I said questioningly, “Count Dracula?”

He bowed in a courtly way as he replied, “I am Dracula, and I bid you welcome, Mr. Harker, to my house. Come in, the night air is chill, and you must need to eat and rest.” As he was speaking, he put the 【14】lamp on a bracket on the wall, and stepping out, took my luggage.

I protested, but he insisted.

“No, sir, you are my guest. It is late, and my people are not available. Let me see to your comfort myself.”

He insisted on carrying my bags along the passage, and then up a great winding stair, and along another great passage, on whose stone floor our steps rang heavily. Finally, we reached what was to be my room. It was a welcome sight, for it was well lighted and warmed with a log fire.

The Count himself left my luggage inside and withdrew, saying, before he closed the door,“When you are ready, come into the other room, where you will find your supper prepared.”【15】

The light and warmth and the Count's courteous welcome 【16】seemed to have dissipated all my doubts and fears. Having then reached my normal state, I discovered that I was starving with hunger.

I went into the other room and found supper already laid out. My host, who stood on one side of the great fireplace, leaning against the 【17】stonework, made a graceful wave of his hand to the table, and said, “I pray you, be seated and dine how you please. You will I trust, excuse me that I do not join you, but I have dined already.”

During the time I was eating, the Count asked me many question as to my journey, and I told him by degrees all I had experienced. After supper, my host drew up seats for us by the fire, where we continued our conversation.

I had now an opportunity of observing him, and found him of a very distinguished appearance. His face had a thin nose and peculiarly 【18】arched nostrils, with a high forehead, and hair growing only here 【19】and there round the temples. His eyebrows were very massive, almost meeting over the nose. The mouth, so far as I could see it under the heavy moustache, was fixed and rather cruel-looking, with peculiarly sharp white teeth. These stuck out over the lips, whose 【20】remarkable red color showed astonishing vitality in a man of his years. They made a great contrast to his very white skin. His fingers had long, fine nails, cut to a sharp point.

As the Count leaned over me and his hands touched me, I could not help but tremble. It may have been that his breath was rank, but a horrible feeling of sickness came over me, which I could not conceal. The Count, evidently noticing it, drew back; and with a grim sort of smile, which showed more than he had yet done his pointy teeth, sat himself down again on his own side of the fireplace.

We were both silent for a while, and as I looked towards the window, I saw the first dim streak of the coming dawn. There seemed a strange stillness over everything. But as I listened, I heard as if from

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