"Well?"
"I fear that he does not appraise me at much. Our interview was
short. When I entered his room he was sitting on a stool in the
centre, with his elbows on his knees, and his face was the picture of
sullen discontent. I spoke to him as cheerfully as I could, and with
such a measure of respect as I could assume. He made no reply
whatever. 'Don't you know me?' I asked. His answer was not
reassuring: 'I know you well enough; you are the old fool Van
Helsing. I wish you would take yourself and your idiotic brain
theories somewhere else. Damn all thick-headed Dutchmen!' Not a word
more would he say, but sat in his implacable sullenness as indifferent
to me as though I had not been in the room at all. Thus departed for
this time my chance of much learning from this so clever lunatic, so I
shall go, if I may, and cheer myself with a few happy words with that
sweet soul Madam Mina. Friend John, it does rejoice me unspeakable
that she is no more to be pained, no more to be worried with our
terrible things. Though we shall much miss her help, it is better
so."
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