Chapter XXII: At Close Quarters

by Bram Stoker

　　"She has diabolical cunning," said Sir Nathaniel. "Ever since youleft, she has ranged along the Brow and wherever you were accustomedto frequent. I have not heard whence the knowledge of yourmovements came to her, nor have I been able to learn any datawhereon to found an opinion. She seems to have heard both of yourmarriage and your absence; but I gather, by inference, that she doesnot actually know where you and Mimi are, or of your return. Sosoon as the dusk fails, she goes out on her rounds, and before dawncovers the whole ground round the Brow, and away up into the heartof the Peak. The White Worm, in her own proper shape, certainly hasgreat facilities for the business on which she is now engaged. Shecan look into windows of any ordinary kind. Happily, this house isbeyond her reach, if she wishes--as she manifestly does--to remainunrecognised. But, even at this height, it is wise to show nolights, lest she might learn something of our presence or absence.""Would it not be well, sir, if one of us could see this monster inher real shape at close quarters? I am willing to run the risk--forI take it there would be no slight risk in the doing. I don'tsuppose anyone of our time has seen her close and lived to tell thetale."Sir Nathaniel held up an expostulatory hand."Good God, lad, what are you suggesting? Think of your wife, andall that is at stake.""It is of Mimi that I think--for her sake that I am willing to riskwhatever is to be risked."Adam's young bride was proud of her man, but she blanched at thethought of the ghastly White Worm. Adam saw this and at oncereassured her."So long as her ladyship does not know whereabout I am, I shall haveas much safety as remains to us; bear in mind, my darling, that wecannot be too careful."Sir Nathaniel realised that Adam was right; the White Worm had nosupernatural powers and could not harm them until she discoveredtheir hiding place. It was agreed, therefore, that the two menshould go together.When the two men slipped out by the back door of the house, theywalked cautiously along the avenue which trended towards the west.Everything was pitch dark--so dark that at times they had to feeltheir way by the palings and tree-trunks. They could still see,seemingly far in front of them and high up, the baleful light whichat the height and distance seemed like a faint line. As they werenow on the level of the ground, the light seemed infinitely higherthan it had from the top of the tower. At the sight Adam's heartfell; the danger of the desperate enterprise which he had undertakenburst upon him. But this feeling was shortly followed by anotherwhich restored him to himself--a fierce loathing, and a desire tokill, such as he had never experienced before.They went on for some distance on a level road, fairly wide, fromwhich the green light was visible. Here Sir Nathaniel spoke softly,placing his lips to Adam's ear for safety."We know nothing whatever of this creature's power of hearing orsmelling, though I presume that both are of no great strength. Asto seeing, we may presume the opposite, but in any case we must tryto keep in the shade behind the tree-trunks. The slightest errorwould be fatal to us."Adam only nodded, in case there should be any chance of the monsterseeing the movement.After a time that seemed interminable, they emerged from thecircling wood. It was like coming out into sunlight by comparisonwith the misty blackness which had been around them. There waslight enough to see by, though not sufficient to distinguish thingsat a distance. Adam's eyes sought the green light in the sky. Itwas still in about the same place, but its surroundings were morevisible. It was now at the summit of what seemed to be a long whitepole, near the top of which were two pendant white masses, likerudimentary arms or fins. The green light, strangely enough, didnot seem lessened by the surrounding starlight, but had a clearereffect and a deeper green. Whilst they were carefully regardingthis--Adam with the aid of an opera-glass--their nostrils wereassailed by a horrid stench, something like that which rose from thewell-hole in Diana's Grove.By degrees, as their eyes got the right focus, they saw an immensetowering mass that seemed snowy white. It was tall and thin. Thelower part was hidden by the trees which lay between, but they couldfollow the tall white shaft and the duplicate green lights whichtopped it. As they looked there was a movement--the shaft seemed tobend, and the line of green light descended amongst the trees. Theycould see the green light twinkle as it passed between theobstructing branches.Seeing where the head of the monster was, the two men ventured alittle further forward, and saw that the hidden mass at the base ofthe shaft was composed of vast coils of the great serpent's body,forming a base from which the upright mass rose. As they looked,this lower mass moved, the glistening folds catching the moonlight,and they could see that the monster's progress was along the ground.It was coming towards them at a swift pace, so they turned and ran,taking care to make as little noise as possible, either by theirfootfalls or by disturbing the undergrowth close to them. They didnot stop or pause till they saw before them the high dark tower ofDoom.