Subject:  MSR Dracula's Guest
Author:  Bram Stoker
Uploaded By:  HOST Comp Joots
Date:  10/26/2002

File:  Dracula's Guest.lit (129090 bytes) 
Estimated Download Time (53797 baud):  < 1 minute
Download Count:  17

Equipment:  Windows computer or Pocket PC
Needs:  MS Reader

Keywords:  Dracula's Guest, Bram Stoker, Etext, Story, Horror

New Wave Publishers etext of "Dracula's Guest" by Bram Stoker.  Note: "Dracula's Guest" was excised from the original "Dracula" mss by his publisher because of the length of the original book mss.  It was published as a short story in 1914, two years after Stoker's death.

In spite of the warnings of his guide, Johann, "Dracula's Guest" continues his journey on Walpurgis Night, an evening of terror when the Devil himself is feared to be out and searching for victims. He soon finds himself, lost, amidst a snow storm in a graveyard..."This was the place where I  was  alone--unmanned,  shivering  with cold in a shroud of snow with a wild storm gathering again upon me! It took all my philosophy, all the religion I had been taught, all my courage, not to collapse in a paroxysm of fright."

When we started for our drive the sun was shining brightly on Munich, and  the air was full  of the  joyousness of early 
summer.  Just as we were about  to depart, Herr Delbruck (the
maitre d'hotel of the  Quatre  Saisons,  where I was staying)
came down bareheaded to the carriage and,  after wishing me a 
pleasant drive,  said to the coachman, still holding his hand
on the handle of the carriage door, "Remember you are back by
nightfall.  The sky looks bright but there is a shiver in the north wind that says there may be a  sudden storm.   But I am
sure you will not be late." Here he smiled and added,"for you
know what night it is."
            
Johann answered with an emphatic,  "Ja,  mein Herr,"  and, 
touching his hat, drove off quickly.  When we had cleared the town,
I said, after signalling to him to stop: 
            
"Tell me, Johann, what is tonight?" He crossed himself, as he answered laconically: "Walpurgis nacht."  Then he took out his watch,  a great,  old-fashioned German silver thing as big as a turnip and looked at it, with his eyebrows gathered together and a little  impatient  shrug of his shoulders.