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Jonathan Harker's Journal 1 October, evening.--I found Thomas Snelling in his house at Bethnal Green, but unhappily he was not in a condition to remember anything. The very prospect of beer which my expected coming had opened to him had proved too much,and he had begun too early on his expected debauch. I learned, however, from his wife, who seemed a decent, poor soul, that he was only the assistant of Smollet, who of the two mates was the responsible person. So off I drove to Walworth, and found Mr. Joseph Smollet at home and in his shirtsleeves, taking a late tea out of a saucer. He is a decent, intelligent fellow, distinctly a good, reliable type of workman, and with a headpiece of his own. He remembered all about the incident of the boxes, and from a wonderful dog-eared notebook,which he produced from some mysterious receptacle about the seat of his trousers, and which had hieroglyphical entries in thick, half-obliterated pencil, he gave me the destinations of the boxes. There were, he said, six in the cartload which he took from Carfax and left at 197 Chicksand Street, Mile End New Town,and another six which he deposited at Jamaica Lane, Bermondsey. If then the Count meant to scatter these ghastly refuges of his over London, these places were chosen as the first of delivery,so that later he might distribute more fully. The systematic manner in which this was done made me think that he could not mean to confine himself to two sides of London. He was now fixed on the far east on the northern shore, on the east of the southern shore, and on the south.The north and west were surely never meant to be left out of his diabolical scheme, let alone the City itself and the very heart of fashionable London in the south-west and west.I went back to Smollet, and asked him if he could tell us if any other boxes had been taken from Carfax. He replied, Well guvnor, youve treated me very ansome, I had given him half a sovereign, an Ill tell yer all I know. I heard a man by the name of Bloxam say four nights ago in the Are an Ounds, in Pinchers Alley, as ow he an his mate ad ad a rare dusty job in a old ouse at Purfleet. There aint a many such jobs as this ere, an Im thinkin that maybe Sam Bloxam could tell ye summut. I asked if he could tell me where to find him. I told him that if he could get me the address it would be worth another half sovereign to him. So he gulped down the rest of his tea and stood up, saying that he was going to begin the search then and there. At the door he stopped, and said, Look ere, guvnor, there aint no sense in me a keepin you ere. I may find Sam soon, or I maynt, but anyhow he aint like to be in a way to tell ye much tonight.Sam is a rare one when he starts on the booze. If you can give me a envelope with a stamp on it, and put yer address on it, Ill find out where Sam is to be found and post it ye tonight. But yed better be up arter im soon in the mornin, never mind the booze the night afore. This was all practical, so one of the children went off with a penny to buy an envelope and a sheet of paper, and to keep the change.When she came back, I addressed the envelope and stamped it, and when Smollet had again faithfully promised to post the address when found, I took my way to home. Were on the track anyhow. I am tired tonight, and I want to sleep. Mina is fast asleep, and looks a little too pale. Her eyes look as though she had been crying. Poor dear, Ive no doubt it frets her to be kept in the dark, and it may make her doubly anxious about me and the others. But it is best as it is.It is better to be disappointed and worried in such a way now than to have her nerve broken. The doctors were quite right to insist on her being kept out of this dreadful business. I must be firm, for on me this particular burden of silence must rest. I shall not ever enter on the subject with her under any circumstances.Indeed,It may not be a hard task, after all, for she herself has become reticent on the subject, and has not spoken of the Count or his doings ever since we told her of our decision. 2 October, evening--A long and trying and exciting day. By the first post I got my directed envelope with a dirty scrap of paper enclosed, on which was written with a carpenters pencil in a sprawling hand, Sam Bloxam, Korkrans, 4 Poters Cort, Bartel Street, Walworth. Arsk for the depite. I got the letter in bed, and rose without waking Mina. She looked heavy and sleepy and pale, and far from well. I determined not to wake her, but that when I should return from this new search, I would arrange for her going back to Exeter. I think she would be happier in our own home, with her daily tasks to interest her, than in being here amongst us and in ignorance. I only saw Dr. Seward for a moment, |
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