Hello there, welcome back to you. I'm sure you're dying to jump straight back into the story, but before we do begin, there are a couple of words in the text that you may find puzzling, so to save you hunting for a dictionary, here they are with their definitions. Now the Scottish sea captain says, deal. This means devil. He also says spear, which means sea or a spy, as in I a

spied a ship on the horizon. Oh and a quick shout out and huge thanks to Chris Mcilvrey and Paddy Synet for their accent

advice with the captain, especially Chris who even sent me a recording of himself reading the dialogue which was above and beyond the

call of duty and very very helpful. Anyway on with the words last one.

Optu one. That's a Google guy telling me the pronunciation of that.

Octua is a duty levied in some countries on various goods entering a town or city and that's it. So now that we're all up to speed,

let's raise the curtain on this penultimate episode of

Dracula by Bram Stoker,

Red by Mike Bennett. Episode 26.

Chapter 26 26 Dr. Seward's Diary, 29 October.

This is written in the train from Varna to Galats.

Last night we all assembled a little before the time of sunset. Each of us had done his work as well as he could, so far as thought and endeavor and opportunity go. We are prepared for the whole of our journey

and for our work when we get to Galads.

When the usual time came round,

Mrs. Harker prepared herself for her hypnotic effort, and after a longer and

more serious effort on the part of Van Helsing than has been usually necessary, she sank

into the trance. Usually she speaks on a hint, but this time the

professor had to ask her questions and to ask them pretty resolutely before we could

learn anything.

At last her answer came.

I can see nothing.

We are still.

...