We discuss Chapter 4 of Dracula.
- Jonathan Harker awakens in his own bed at the castle but is not convinced the encounter with the evil women was a dream
- The Count instructs Jonathan to write three letters to his home acquaintances which are to be postdated to seal the fate of his demise.
- Jonathan throws additional letters, written without the Count’s knowledge, to Szgany workers including one
- These letters are given to the Count by the Szgany workers, including one to Mina Murray detailing his ordeal in shorthand, which the Count cannot decipher. The Count burns the letters with the flame of a candle.
- The next morning, Jonathan awakens to find he’s got no paper, and his clothing has vanished.
- Watching out the window, Jonathan sees the Count emerge wearing the missing clothing.
- A woman pleads outside the window for her missing child’s return (from the end of Ch. 3). The sound of wolves is heard in response, followed by silence.
- Exploring the castle by daylight
- Plotting a way out, Jonathan scales outside the window into the Count’s bedroom. From there, he’s able to explore the castle and discovers the Count day sleeping in a pile of dirt and some of his youth appears to be restored
- Workers at the castle are shoveling dirt into boxes and taking them away.
- Asking to leave, the Count obliges, opening the bolted door of the castle only to discover that the vicinity is surrounded by wolves.
- The Count bids Jonathan farewell, and Jonathan knows it’s only a matter of time before he’s killed.
- In a last ditch bid, Jonathan decides to take some gold from the Count’s bedroom, then creates a plan to scale the wall to freedom. Will he succeed?
A Frightful Fret 