Dracula
by Bram Stoker
Table of Contents
Chapter 2 to Chapter 4
Chapter 2 Summary
The carriage driver leaves Harker in the courtyard and rides off. For several moments, the frightened Harker fears that he will have to pass the night outside the looming, dark castle. He wonders how he managed to get himself into this dreadful situation. Just as Harker is resigning himself to an evening outdoors, Count Dracula opens the front door. He is tall, thin, and old, with a long white mustache, sharp white teeth and very white skin, all in contrast to his absolutely black clothing. Harker notices the strength of the count’s handshake, as well as the extreme coldness of his skin. The count welcomes Harker with great charm and hospitality, allaying the solicitor’s fears for the moment. Dracula escorts his guest to a comfortable room where a pleasant supper has been laid. Harker eats and smokes a cigar; Dracula excuses himself from both eating and smoking. Something about the count’s pale, sharp features and rough, powerful hands makes Harker increasingly uncomfortable. Toward dawn, the count remarks that the howling of the wolves is like wonderful music. He then shows his guest to a room and invites him to sleep as late as he wishes, for the count will be away on business the next day.
Harker awakens late in the afternoon to find a breakfast laid out in the same room where he had dined the night before. He examines some of the nearby doors, finding one door locked. Through another, he discovers a small library full of English books. The count soon returns and tells Harker that he wishes to improve his English—which is already quite good—so that he will be able to speak like a native Englishman when he moves to London. He does not want his accent to mark him as a foreigner. To this end, he keeps Harker up until dawn again discussing the particulars of the home he is purchasing in London. Harker is made increasingly uncomfortable at the count’s strange habit of staying up all night and going away just before dawn. Moreover, Harker has not seen another person—not a single...
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