Had we done so, the Count must have guessed our purpose, and would doubtless have taken measures in advance to frustrate such an effort with regard to the others. But now he does not know our intentions.
Nay, more, in all probability, he does not know that such a power exists to us as can sterilize his lairs, so that he cannot use them as of old.
"We are now so much further advanced in our knowledge as to their disposition that, when we have examined the house in Piccadilly, we may track the very last of them. Today then, is ours, and in it rests our hope.
The sun that rose on our sorrow this morning guards us in its course.
Until it sets tonight, that monster must retain whatever form he now has.
He is confined within the limitations of his earthly envelope. He cannot melt into thin air nor disappear through cracks or chinks or crannies.
If he go through a doorway, he must open the door like a mortal.
And so we have this day to hunt out all his lairs and sterilize them.
So we shall, if we have not yet catch him and destroy him, drive him to bay in some place where the catching and the destroying shall be, in time, sure."
Here I started up for I could not contain myself at the thought that the minutes and seconds so preciously laden with Mina's life and happiness were flying from us, since whilst we talked action was impossible.
But Van Helsing held up his hand warningly.
"Nay, friend Jonathan," he said, "in this, the quickest way home is the longest way, so your proverb say. We shall all act and act with desperate quick, when the time has come.
But think, in all probable the key of the situation is in that house in Piccadilly. The Count may have many houses which he has bought.
Of them he will have deeds of purchase, keys and other things.
He will have paper that he write on. He will have his book of cheques.
There are many belongings that he must have somewhere.
Why not in this place so central, so quiet, where he come and go by the front or the back at all hours, when in the very vast of the traffic there is none to notice. We shall go there and search that house.
And when we learn what it holds, then we do what our friend Arthur call, in his phrases of hunt `stop the earths' and so we run down our old fox, so? Is it not?"
"Then let us come at once," I cried, "we are wasting the precious, precious time!"
The Professor did not move, but simply said, "And how are we to get into that house in Piccadilly?"
"Any way!" I cried. "We shall break in if need be."
"And your police? Where will they be, and what will they say?"
I was staggered, but I knew that if he wished to delay he had a good reason for it. So I said, as quietly as I could, "Don't wait more than need be.
You know, I am sure, what torture I am in."
"Ah, my child, that I do. And indeed there is no wish of me to add to your anguish. But just think, what can we do, until all the world be at movement. Then will come our time.
I have thought and thought, and it seems to me that the simplest way is the best of all. Now we wish to get into the house, but we have no key. Is it not so?" I nodded.
"Now suppose that you were, in truth, the owner of that house, and could not still get in. And think there was to you no conscience of the housebreaker, what would you do?"
"I should get a respectable locksmith, and set him to work to pick the lock for me."
"And your police, they would interfere, would they not?"
"Oh no! Not if they knew the man was properly employed."
"Then," he looked at me as keenly as he spoke, "all that is in doubt is the conscience of the employer, and the belief of your policemen as to whether or not that employer has a good conscience or a bad one.
Your police must indeed be zealous men and clever, oh so clever, in reading the heart, that they trouble themselves in such matter.
No, no, my friend Jonathan, you go take the lock off a hundred empty houses in this your London, or of any city in the world, and if you do it as such things are rightly done, and at the time such things are rightly done, no one will interfere.
I have read of a gentleman who owned a so fine house in London, and when he went for months of summer to Switzerland and lock up his house, some burglar come and broke window at back and got in.
Then he went and made open the shutters in front and walk out and in through the door, before the very eyes of the police.
Then he have an auction in that house, and advertise it, and put up big notice. And when the day come he sell off by a great auctioneer all the goods of that other man who own them.
Then he go to a builder, and he sell him that house, making an agreement that he pull it down and take all away within a certain time.
And your police and other authority help him all they can.
And when that owner come back from his holiday in Switzerland he find only an empty hole where his house had been.
This was all done en regle, and in our work we shall be en regle too.
We shall not go so early that the policemen who have then little to think of, shall deem it strange. But we shall go after ten o'clock, when there are many about, and such things would be done were we indeed owners of the house."
I could not but see how right he was and the terrible despair of Mina's face became relaxed in thought.
There was hope in such good counsel.
Van Helsing went on, "When once within that house we may find more clues.
At any rate some of us can remain there whilst the rest find the other places where there be more earth boxes, at Bermondsey and Mile End."
Lord Godalming stood up. "I can be of some use here," he said.
"I shall wire to my people to have horses and carriages where they will be most convenient."
"Look here, old fellow," said Morris, "it is a capital idea to have all ready in case we want to go horse backing, but don't you think that one of your snappy carriages with its heraldic adornments in a byway of Walworth or Mile End would attract too much attention for our purpose?
It seems to me that we ought to take cabs when we go south or east.
And even leave them somewhere near the neighborhood we are going to."
"Friend Quincey is right!" said the Professor.
"His head is what you call in plane with the horizon.