Dracula

Then he called me back, and when I came
he had his hand over the note-book, and he said to me very solemnly:-
"'Wilhelmina'- I knew then that he was in deadly earnest, for he has
never called me by that name since he asked me to marry him- 'you
know, dear, my ideas of the trust between husband and wife: there
should be no secret, no concealment. I have had a great shock, and
when I try to think of what it is I feel my head spin round, and I
do not know if it was all real or the dreaming of a madman. You know I
have had brain fever, and that is to be mad. The secret is here, and I
do not want to know it. I want to take up my life here, with our
marriage.' For, my dear, we had decided to be married as soon as the
formalities are complete. 'Are you willing, Wilhelmina, to share my
ignorance? Here is the book. Take it and keep it, read it if you will,
but never let me know; unless, indeed, some solemn duty should come
upon me to go back to the bitter hours, asleep or awake, sane or
mad, recorded here.' He fell back exhausted, and I put the book
under his pillow, and kissed him I have asked Sister Agatha to beg the
Superior to let our wedding be this afternoon, and am waiting her
reply...
"She has come and told me that the chaplain of the English mission
church has been sent for. We are to be married in an hour, or as
soon after as Jonathan awakes...
"Lucy, the time has come and gone. I feel very solemn, but very,
very happy. Jonathan woke a little after the hour, and all was
ready, and he sat up in bed, propped up with pillows. He answered
his 'I will' firmly and strongly. I could hardly speak; my heart was
so full that even those words seemed to choke me. The dear sisters
were so kind. Please God, I shall never, never forget them, nor the
grave and sweet responsibilities I have taken upon me. I must tell you
of my wedding present. When the chaplain and the sisters had left me
alone with my husband- oh, Lucy, it is the first time I have written
the words 'my husband'- left me alone with my husband, I took the book
from under his pillow, and wrapped it up in white paper, and tied it
with a little bit of pale blue ribbon which was round my neck, and
sealed it over the knot with sealing-wax, and for my seal I used my
wedding ring. Then I kissed it and showed it to my husband, and told
him that I would keep it so, and then it would be an outward and
visible sign for us all our lives that we trusted each other; that I
would never open it unless it