 risk and on his own responsibility, the privilege you seek.« He
shook his head sadly, and with a look of poignant regret on his face. The
Professor went on: -
    »Come, sir, bethink yourself. You claim the privilege of reason in the
highest degree, since you seek to impress us with your complete reasonableness.
You do this, whose sanity we have reason to doubt, since you are not yet
released from medical treatment for this very defect. If you will not help us in
our effort to choose the wisest course, how can we perform the duty which you
yourself put upon us? Be wise, and help us; and if we can we shall aid you to
achieve your wish.« He still shook his head as he said: -
    »Dr. Van Helsing, I have nothing to say. Your argument is complete, and if I
were free to speak I should not hesitate a moment; but I am not my own master in
the matter. I can only ask you to trust me. If I am refused, the responsibility
does not rest with me.« I thought it was now time to end the scene, which was
becoming too comically grave, so I went towards the door, simply saying: -
    »Come, my friends, we have work to do. Good night.«
    As, however, I got near the door, a new change came over the patient. He
moved towards me so quickly that for the moment I feared that he was about to
make another homicidal attack. My fears, however, were groundless, for he held
up his two hands imploringly, and made his petition in a moving manner. As he
saw that the very excess of his emotion was militating against him, by restoring
us more to our old relations, he became still more demonstrative. I glanced at
Van Helsing, and saw my conviction reflected in his eyes; so I became a little
more fixed in my manner, if not more stern, and motioned to him that his efforts
were unavailing. I had previously seen something of the same constantly growing
excitement in him when he had to make some request of which at the time he had
thought much, such, for instance, as when he wanted a cat; and I was prepared to
see the collapse into the same sullen acquiescence on this occasion. My
expectation was not realised, for, when he found that his appeal would not be
successful, he got into quite a frantic condition. He threw himself on his
knees, and held up his hands, wringing them in
