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of water. Since, however, Dr. Van Helsing has been with me, all this
bad dreaming seems to have passed away; the noises that used to
frighten me out of my wits- the flapping against the windows, the
distant voices which seemed so close to me, the harsh sounds that came
form I know not where and commanded me to do I know not what- have all
ceased. I go to bed now without any fear of sleep. I do not even try
to keep awake. I have grown quite fond of the garlic, and a boxful
arrives for me every day from Haarlem. To-night Dr. Van Helsing is
going away, as he has to be for a day in Amsterdam. But I need not
be watched; I am well enough to be left alone. Thank God for
mother's sake, and dear Arthur's, and for all our friends who have
been so kind! I shall not even feel the change, for last night Dr. Van
Helsing slept in his chair a lot of the time. I found him asleep twice
when I awoke; but I did not fear to go to sleep again, although the
boughs or bats or something flapped almost angrily against the
window-panes.

"The Pall Mall Gazette," 18 September.

The Escaped Wolf.

Perilous Adventure Of Our Interviewer.

Interview with the Keeper in the Zoological Gardens.

After many inquiries and almost as many refusals, and perpetually
using the words "Pall Mall Gazette" as a sort of talisman, I managed
to find the keeper of the section of the Zoological Gardens in which
the wolf department is included. Thomas Bilder lives in one of the
cottages in the enclosure behind the elephant-house, and was just
sitting down to his tea when I found him. Thomas and his wife are
hospitable folk, elderly, and without children, and if the specimen
I enjoyed of their hospitality be of the average kind, their lives
must be pretty comfortable. The keeper would not enter on what he
called "business" until the supper was over, and we were all
satisfied. Then when the table was cleared, and he had lit his pipe,
he said:-

"Now, sir you can go on and arsk me what you want. You'll excoose me
refoosin' to talk of perfeshunal subjects afore meals. I gives the
wolves and the jackals and the hyenas in all our section their tea
afore I begins to arsk them questions."

"How do you mean, ask them questions?" I queried, wishful to get him
into a talkative humour.

"'Ittin' of them over the 'ead with a pole is one way; scratchin' of
their hears is another, when gents as is flush wants a bit of a
show-orf to their gals. I don't so much mind the fust- the 'ittin'
with a pole afore I chucks in their dinner; but I waits till they've