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Dracula - Bram Stoker, CHAPTER 27 - Mina Harker's Journal, part 4

CHAPTER 27 - Mina Harker's Journal, part 4

All yesterday we travel, always getting closer to the mountains, and moving into a more and more wild and desert land. There are great, frowning precipices and much falling water, and Nature seem to have held sometime her carnival. Madam Mina still sleep and sleep. And though I did have hunger and appeased it, I could not waken her, even for food. I began to fear that the fatal spell of the place was upon her, tainted as she is with that Vampire baptism. "Well," said I to myself, "if it be that she sleep all the day, it shall also be that I do not sleep at night. " As we travel on the rough road, for a road of an ancient and imperfect kind there was, I held down my head and slept. Again I waked with a sense of guilt and of time passed, and found Madam Mina still sleeping, and the sun low down. But all was indeed changed. The frowning mountains seemed further away, and we were near the top of a steep rising hill, on summit of which was such a castle as Jonathan tell of in his diary. At once I exulted and feared. For now, for good or ill, the end was near.

I woke Madam Mina, and again tried to hypnotize her, but alas! unavailing till too late. Then, ere the great dark came upon us, for even after down sun the heavens reflected the gone sun on the snow, and all was for a time in a great twilight. I took out the horses and fed them in what shelter I could. Then I make a fire, and near it I make Madam Mina, now awake and more charming than ever, sit comfortable amid her rugs.

I got ready food, but she would not eat, simply saying that she had not hunger. I did not press her, knowing her unavailingness. But I myself eat, for I must needs now be strong for all. Then, with the fear on me of what might be, I drew a ring so big for her comfort, round where Madam Mina sat. And over the ring I passed some of the wafer, and I broke it fine so that all was well guarded. She sat still all the time, so still as one dead. And she grew whiter and even whiter till the snow was not more pale, and no word she said. But when I drew near, she clung to me, and I could know that the poor soul shook her from head to feet with a tremor that was pain to feel.

I said to her presently, when she had grown more quiet, "Will you not come over to the fire?" for I wished to make a test of what she could. She rose obedient, but when she have made a step she stopped, and stood as one stricken.

"Why not go on?" I asked. She shook her head, and coming back, sat down in her place. Then, looking at me with open eyes, as of one waked from sleep, she said simply, "I cannot!" and remained silent. I rejoiced, for I knew that what she could not, none of those that we dreaded could. Though there might be danger to her body, yet her soul was safe!

Presently the horses began to scream, and tore at their tethers till I came to them and quieted them. When they did feel my hands on them, they whinnied low as in joy, and licked at my hands and were quiet for a time. Many times through the night did I come to them, till it arrive to the cold hour when all nature is at lowest, and every time my coming was with quiet of them. In the cold hour the fire began to die, and I was about stepping forth to replenish it, for now the snow came in flying sweeps and with it a chill mist. Even in the dark there was a light of some kind, as there ever is over snow, and it seemed as though the snow flurries and the wreaths of mist took shape as of women with trailing garments.

CHAPTER 27 - Mina Harker's Journal, part 4 CAPÍTULO 27 - Diario de Mina Harker, parte 4 CAPITOLO 27 - Diario di Mina Harker, parte 4 KAPITEL 27 - Mina Harkers dagbok, del 4

All yesterday we travel, always getting closer to the mountains, and moving into a more and more wild and desert land. There are great, frowning precipices and much falling water, and Nature seem to have held sometime her carnival. Há grandes precipícios carrancudos e muitas quedas de água, e a Natureza parece ter realizado um dia o seu carnaval. Madam Mina still sleep and sleep. A Senhora Mina continua a dormir e a dormir. And though I did have hunger and appeased it, I could not waken her, even for food. E embora tivesse fome e a aplacasse, não conseguia acordá-la, nem mesmo para comer. I began to fear that the fatal spell of the place was upon her, tainted as she is with that Vampire baptism. Comecei a temer que o feitiço fatal do lugar estivesse sobre ela, manchada como está com aquele batismo de Vampiro. "Well," said I to myself, "if it be that she sleep all the day, it shall also be that I do not sleep at night. "Bem", disse eu para comigo, "se é verdade que ela dorme todo o dia, também é verdade que eu não durmo à noite. "  As we travel on the rough road, for a road of an ancient and imperfect kind there was, I held down my head and slept. " Enquanto percorríamos a estrada acidentada, pois era uma estrada antiga e imperfeita, baixei a cabeça e dormi. Again I waked with a sense of guilt and of time passed, and found Madam Mina still sleeping, and the sun low down. Acordei de novo com um sentimento de culpa e de tempo passado, e encontrei a Senhora Mina ainda a dormir, e o sol a pôr-se. But all was indeed changed. Mas tudo mudou de facto. The frowning mountains seemed further away, and we were near the top of a steep rising hill, on summit of which was such a castle as Jonathan tell of in his diary. As montanhas carrancudas pareciam mais distantes, e estávamos perto do topo de uma colina íngreme e ascendente, no cume da qual se encontrava um castelo como aquele de que Jonathan fala no seu diário. At once I exulted and feared. Ao mesmo tempo exultava e temia. For now, for good or ill, the end was near. Por agora, para o bem ou para o mal, o fim estava próximo.

I woke Madam Mina, and again tried to hypnotize her, but alas! Acordei a Madame Mina e tentei novamente hipnotizá-la, mas, infelizmente! unavailing till too late. só se revelaram inúteis quando já era demasiado tarde. Then, ere the great dark came upon us, for even after down sun the heavens reflected the gone sun on the snow, and all was for a time in a great twilight. Depois, antes que a grande escuridão se abatesse sobre nós, pois mesmo depois do sol se pôr, os céus reflectiam o sol que se tinha ido sobre a neve, e tudo ficou durante algum tempo num grande crepúsculo. I took out the horses and fed them in what shelter I  could. Tirei os cavalos e alimentei-os no abrigo que pude. Then I make a fire, and near it I make Madam Mina, now awake and more charming than ever, sit comfortable amid her rugs. Depois faço uma fogueira e, perto dela, ponho a Senhora Mina, agora acordada e mais encantadora do que nunca, a sentar-se confortavelmente entre os seus tapetes.

I got ready food, but she would not eat, simply saying that she had not hunger. Preparei comida, mas ela não quis comer, dizendo simplesmente que não tinha fome. I did not press her, knowing her unavailingness. Não a pressionei, sabendo que ela não estava disponível. But I myself eat, for I must needs now be strong for all. Mas eu próprio como, pois tenho de ser forte para todos. Then, with the fear on me of what might be, I drew a ring so big for her comfort, round where Madam Mina sat. Depois, com o medo do que poderia acontecer, desenhei um anel tão grande para o seu conforto, à volta do lugar onde a Madame Mina se sentava. And over the ring I passed some of the wafer, and I broke it fine so that all was well guarded. E por cima do anel passei um pouco da hóstia, e parti-a bem, de modo que tudo ficou bem guardado. She sat still all the time, so still as one dead. Estava sempre sentada, tão quieta como se estivesse morta. And she grew whiter and even whiter till the snow was not  more pale, and no word she said. E ela foi ficando cada vez mais branca, até que a neve não era mais pálida, e não dizia uma palavra. But when I drew near, she clung to me, and I could know that the poor soul shook her from head to feet with a tremor that was pain to feel. Mas quando me aproximei, ela agarrou-se a mim, e eu sabia que a pobre alma a abanava da cabeça aos pés com um tremor que era doloroso de sentir.

I said to her presently, when she had grown more quiet, "Will you not come over to the fire?" Quando ela já estava mais sossegada, disse-lhe: "Não queres vir até à lareira?" for I wished to make a test of what she could. porque eu queria testar o que ela podia fazer. She rose obedient, but when she have made a step she stopped, and stood as one stricken. Levantou-se obediente, mas quando deu um passo, parou e ficou como que abatida.

"Why not go on?" "Porque não continuar?" I asked. perguntei. She shook her head, and coming back, sat down in her place. Abanou a cabeça e, voltando, sentou-se no seu lugar. Then, looking at me with open eyes, as of one waked from sleep, she said simply, "I cannot!" Depois, olhando para mim com os olhos abertos, como quem acorda de um sono, disse simplesmente: "Não posso!". and remained silent. e permaneceu em silêncio. I rejoiced, for I knew that what she could not, none of those that we dreaded could. Alegrei-me, pois sabia que o que ela não podia, nenhum dos que temíamos podia. Though there might be danger to her body, yet her soul was safe! Embora o seu corpo pudesse estar em perigo, a sua alma estava a salvo!

Presently the horses began to scream, and tore at their tethers till I came to them and quieted them. Em pouco tempo, os cavalos começaram a gritar e a arrancar as amarras até eu chegar junto deles e os acalmar. When they did feel my hands on them, they whinnied low as in joy, and licked at my hands and were quiet for a time. Quando sentiram as minhas mãos sobre eles, relincharam baixinho como que de alegria, lamberam as minhas mãos e ficaram calados durante algum tempo. Many times through the night did I come to them, till it arrive to the cold hour when all nature is at lowest, and every time my coming was with quiet of them. Muitas vezes, durante a noite, fui ter com eles, até chegar a hora fria em que toda a natureza está em baixo, e todas as vezes a minha vinda foi com o silêncio deles. In the cold hour the fire began to die, and I was about stepping forth to replenish it, for now the snow came in flying sweeps and with it a chill mist. Na hora fria, o fogo começou a apagar e eu estava prestes a sair para o reabastecer, pois agora a neve vinha em varreduras e com ela uma névoa fria. Even in the dark there was a light of some kind, as there ever is over snow, and it seemed as though the snow flurries and the wreaths of mist took shape as of women with trailing garments. Mesmo na escuridão, havia uma espécie de luz, como sempre há sobre a neve, e parecia que os flocos de neve e as grinaldas de névoa tomavam forma de mulheres com vestes esvoaçantes.