1 Jonathan Starts His Journey

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CHAPTER 1 Jonathan Starts His Journey "Whooo!" went the whistle, and Jonathan Harker shut his eyes, allowing the romance and rhythm of the train to overtake him. He was traveling to Transylvania by rail to conduct some business with Count Dracula. Jonathan was a lawyer who worked for the firm of a Mr. Peter Hawkins. The firm was advising the count on the purchase of Carfax, a very old home in London. Along the way to Transylvania, Jonathan

visited Vienna, toured the streets of Budapest, strolled the splendid bridges over the Danube, and had an excellent supper of chicken paprika, a specialty of the region, at the Hotel Royale in Klausenburgh. For some reason he was very nervous. Although his bed at the hotel was comfortable enough, he had all sorts of strange dreams. It must be the paprika, he thought. After more paprika for breakfast, this time in his porridge, Jonathan got back onto the train to continue his journey to the East. Looking out the windows, he saw a country that was full of beauty of every kind. There were streams, sweeping rivers, little towns, and the occasional castle on a hilltop. And at every station they passed there stood groups of interesting people, including women with full white sleeves and petticoats, and Slovakian men sporting heavy black mustaches, big cowboy hats, and enormous

studded leather belts and boots. It was twilight when the train arrived at Bistritz, in the Carpathian mountains. Count Dracula had directed Jonathan to go to the Golden Krone Hotel, where he was expected. After greeting Jonathan at the door, the hotel's elderly landlady nervously handed him a note: My friend, welcome. I am anxiously expecting you. Sleep well tonight, for tomorrow you will take the final leg of your journey, by carriage, to my castle. I trust that you will enjoy your stay in my beautiful land. Your friend, Dracula. "Do you know the count?" Jonathan asked the landlady. "Can you tell me anything about the castle?" But instead of answering

him, the old woman simply crossed herself, handed over the room key, and hurried away. Early the next morning, however, she knocked frantically on his door. "Oh! Young man," she cried, "must you go?" Jonathan replied that indeed he must, for he had important business to conduct with the count. "But don't you realize where you are going?" the landlady asked. "And on what day?" She didn't wait for answers. "It is the eve of Saint George Day. Tonight at midnight, all of the world's evil things will take control." Jonathan tried to comfort the old woman, but it was no use. Finally, firmly, he repeated that he had a job to do, and would be continuing as planned on the last leg of his journey that night, by coach. "Well, then at least take this, if only for your poor mother's sake." She took a crucifix

from around her neck, and reached up and around to put it on his. Curiously, after the crucifix, she pressed tightly into his hand a head of garlic. After she left, Jonathan took off the crucifix and looked at it. He considered throwing it away along with the garlic. An old churchman of England, he didn't really approve of or believe in such things. Feeling a strange, lingering uneasiness, however, he put the cross back around his neck. When the coach arrived that evening, a small crowd quickly gathered around it. Carrying his bags, Jonathan walked past the coach driver, the elderly landlady, and some other hotel guests. All seemed to be staring at and discussing him. In panicked and pitying whispers, they kept repeating the same word, "Vrolok." Upon opening up his little dictionary once he was seated in the coach, Jonathan learned it