She wants blood, and blood she must have or dieMy friend John and I have consulted, and we are about to perform what we call transfusion of blood, to transfer from full veins of one to the empty veins which pine for himJohn was to give his blood, as he is the more young and strong than me--Here Arthur took my hand and wrung it hard in silence-"But now you are here, you are more good than us, old or young, who toil much in the world of thoughtOur nerves are not so calm and our blood so bright than yours!"
Arthur turned to him and said, "If you only knew how gladly I would die for her you would understand?" He stopped with a sort of choke in his voice
"Good boy!" said Van Helsing"In the not-so-far-off you will be happy that you have done all for her you loveCome now and be silentYou shall kiss her once before it is done, but then you must go, and you must leave at my signSay no word to MadameYou know how it is with herThere must be no shock, any knowledge of this would be oneCome!"
We all went up to Lucy's roomArthur by direction remained outsideLucy turned her head and looked at us, but said nothingShe was not asleep, but she was simply too weak to make the effortHer eyes spoke to us, that was all
Van Helsing took some things from his bag and laid them on a little table out of sightThen he mixed a narcotic, and coming over to the bed, said cheerily, "Now, little miss, here is your medicineDrink it off, like a good childSee, I lift you so that to swallow is easy She had made the effort with success
It astonished me how long the drug took to actThis, in fact, marked the extent of her weaknessThe time seemed endless until sleep began to flicker in her eyelidsAt last, however, the narcotic began to manifest its potency, and she fell into a deep sleepWhen the Professor was satisfied, he called Arthur into the room, and bade him strip off his coatThen he added, "You may take that one little kiss whiles I bring over the tableFriend John, help to me!" So neither of us looked whilst he bent over her
Van Helsing, turning to me, said, "He is so young and strong, and of blood so pure that we need not defibrinate it
Then with swiftness, but with absolute method, Van Helsing performed the operationAs the transfusion went on, something like life seemed to come back to poor Lucy's cheeks, and through Arthur's growing pallor the joy of his face seemed absolutely to shineAfter a bit I began to grow anxious, for the loss of blood was telling on Arthur, strong man as he wasIt gave me an idea of what a terrible strain Lucy's system must have undergone that what weakened Arthur only partially restored her
But the Professor's face was set, and he stood watch in hand, and with his eyes fixed now on the patient and now on ArthurI could hear my own heart beatPresently, he said in a soft voice, "Do not stir an instant
When all was over, I could see how much Arthur was weakenedI dressed the wound and took his arm to bring him away, when Van Helsing spoke without turning round, the man seems to have eyes in the back of his head, "The brave lover, I think, deserve another kiss, which he shall have
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