"bram stoker - dracula(2)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stoker Bram)

"There you are right," I said. "I know no more than the dead where even
to look for them." Then we drifted into other matters.

"Come," he said at last, "tell me of London and of the house
which you have procured for me." With an apology for my remissness,
I went into my own room to get the papers from my bag.
Whilst I was placing them in order I heard a rattling of china
and silver in the next room, and as I passed through, noticed that
the table had been cleared and the lamp lit, for it was by this
time deep into the dark. The lamps were also lit in the study
or library, and I found the Count lying on the sofa, reading,
of all things in the world, and English Bradshaw's Guide.
When I came in he cleared the books and papers from the table,
and with him I went into plans and deeds and figures of all sorts.
He was interested in everything, and asked me a myriad questions
about the place and its surroundings. He clearly had studied
beforehand all he could get on the subject of the neighborhood,
for he evidently at the end knew very much more than I did.
When I remarked this, he answered.

"Well, but, my friend, is it not needful that I should? When I go there
I shall be all alone, and my friend Harker Jonathan, nay, pardon me.
I fall into my country's habit of putting your patronymic first,
my friend Jonathan Harker will not be by my side to correct and aid me.
He will be in Exeter, miles away, probably working at papers of the law
with my other friend, Peter Hawkins. So!"

We went thoroughly into the business of the purchase
of the estate at Purfleet. When I had told him the facts
and got his signature to the necessary papers, and had
written a letter with them ready to post to Mr. Hawkins,
he began to ask me how I had come across so suitable a place.
I read to him the notes which I had made at the time,
and which I inscribe here.

"At Purfleet, on a byroad, I came across just such a place as seemed
to be required, and where was displayed a dilapidated notice that the place
was for sale. It was surrounded by a high wall, of ancient structure,
built of heavy stones, and has not been repaired for a large number of years.
The closed gates are of heavy old oak and iron, all eaten with rust.

"The estate is called Carfax, no doubt a corruption of the old Quatre Face,
as the house is four sided, agreeing with the cardinal points of the compass.
It contains in all some twenty acres, quite surrounded by the solid
stone wall above mentioned. There are many trees on it, which make it
in places gloomy, and there is a deep, dark-looking pond or small lake,
evidently fed by some springs, as the water is clear and flows away
in a fair-sized stream. The house is very large and of all periods back,
I should say, to mediaeval times, for one part is of stone immensely thick,