HARKER
Your hospitality is most humbling. Will you not dine as well?
DRACULA
You will, I trust, excuse me that I do not join you, but I have dined already and I do not sup.
(Sound of wolves howling stridently just outside the castle walls.)
HARKER
Oh, good Lord, what is that?!
DRACULA
Yes, listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make!
HARKER
Pardon me, good host, if I share not the same enthusiasm?
(Dracula is slightly amused that Harker is uneasy and cracks a subtle smile.)
DRACULA
Do the wolves frighten you?
HARKER
Well, it’s only, we don’t get many a wolf upon the cobblestones of Baker Street.
DRACULA
A pity. Ah, sir, you dwellers in the city cannot enter into the feelings of the hunter. Come, tell me of the house, which you have procured for me.
(Harker wipes his mouth, reaches into his valise and withdraws a document.)
HARKER
Ah, yes. The estate is in Whitby. It is surrounded by a high wall, of ancient structure, built of heavy stones. Somewhat dilapidated, it has not been repaired for a number of years. It is in places, gloomy. There is a deep, dark-looking pond. The house is very large, dating back to the medieval period. It is heavily barred with iron.
DRACULA
It sounds perfect for my,… purposes.
HARKER
It is a rather ancient place.
DRACULA
That is better for me. I am glad that it is old and large. I myself am of an old family. And to live in a new house would… kill me. We Transylvanian nobles love not to think that our bones may lie among the common dead. The darkness of the house appeals to me. For, look about you. The walls of my castle are broken, the shadows are many, and the wind breathes cold through the crumbling battlements and casings. I love the shade and the shadows.
(Harker continues eating.)
HARKER
Well, you will feel at home then, in your new dwelling.
DRACULA
I am certain of it.
HARKER
I am bound by my profession to disclose to you that there is also an institution nearby.
DRACULA
Institution?
HARKER
Whitby Asylum. A secure imprisonment for maniacal deviants, depraved lunatics, and the criminally insane.
DRACULA
They sound like nice enough neighbors.
HARKER
Well I wouldn’t recommend planning a garden party…
(Harker accidentally cuts a finger.)
HARKER
Oh, my word! I seem to have nicked my forefinger. Forgive my clumsiness, please. I’m bleeding a bit.
(Dracula is drawn to Harker’s wound. He clearly shows the pangs of temptation.)
DRACULA
Take care. Take care how you cut yourself. It is more dangerous than you think in this country.
(The Count hands Harker a cloth handkerchief.)
HARKER
Thank you, I will.
DRACULA
You must be tired. Your bedchamber is ready and tomorrow you will sleep as late as you wish. I shall be… away till the afternoon.
HARKER
You certainly have a home of beautiful artifacts. Have you no concern of robbers? Thieves who may,… uh,…
DRACULA
Steal from me? Take my possessions?
HARKER
Well, I only meant,…
DRACULA
I know what you meant. A very long time ago, I had my belongings, my family, my life, everything that I cherish taken from me.
HARKER
I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I trust those thieves have been rightly confined and prosecuted.
(An eerie music eases in to underscore Dracula’s following passages. All about him lights fade and a red glowing light comes up gradually, illuminating the Count who grows increasingly angry, defensive, defiant.)
DRACULA
What do you know about it? How does one begin to express a lifetime’s existence of persecution? My family, my people, the Szekelys, were a proud race. We bore down from Iceland, the fighting spirit of Thor. But the Turks poured their thousands upon our frontiers. We were beaten down upon a bloody field. Their warlike fury swept the earth like a living flame. We thought the werewolves themselves had come. Like ancient witches who had mated with devils in the desert, they sought to destroy us. But what devil or witch was ever so great as Attila, whose blood flows through these veins?! I would not rest until I’d tasted their blood upon our swords!
HARKER
Your people were brave.
DRACULA
Brave?! I demanded it! My fellow countrymen, Romanians of old, the common peasants were divided. And I, a Dracul, had to unify Transylvania to protect it. So, I threatened every man, woman, and child with torture beyond imagination if they would not join me. If they did not rise and fight to the death, under my rule, they would suffer a fate worse than Hell itself! Yes, there were dissenters. And mere intimidation would no longer suffice. So, I had to teach them to obey.
HARKER
How?
DRACULA
We invaded their camps in the dark of night, blinded them, nailed them one to another. Their precious children were pulled apart by horses. We left them writhing in agony amongst the flames of scorched earth. You understand, I did this for my people. I had no choice. We could only rise to ultimate power if Romania swore undying allegiance to me.
It did. So this was the Dracula who saw an entire nation of Turks impaled upon a forest of crimson. And I myself drove the spikes!
HARKER
I believe I’m finished with dinner.
DRACULA
You must think me an eccentric old man. But, you see, Mr. Harker, to a Szekely, a Dracul, the pride of his house and name springs eternal. And therefore I say “Woe be unto him that will come into my home, feast of my table, rest his skull upon my pillows, and wrong me!” To steal my possessions, to desecrate my name, is to incur the wrath of a thousand years. I would, while he were sleeping like a babe, drag him by the throat to an alter! As a lamb to be slaughtered. And I would prove his butcher!…
(Lighting restores and music ends. There is silence.)
DRACULA
Sleep well, my friend. And pleasant dreams.
(Music. Dracula takes Harker’s eating utensils, places them back into the small ornate chest. [The purpose for this is so that Harker will not have access to a knife or other implements which may be used against the old count.] Dracula exits. As Dracula ascends the staircase, he waves a hand at the door to his room. It magically opens. Once he passes through, it closes behind him. A beat, and then Harker rises to ascend the steps to his bedchamber. He stops, turns to look at the castle doors. He goes to them in haste and attempts to turn the handles. They are locked in place. He attempts to shoulder the doors open to no avail. He realizes he is trapped. Defeated, he grabs his bags and heads to his bedchamber. He exits into a gothic arched doorway in his room, presumably, the privy. Music leads us into the next scene.)
[END OF SCENE]
Scene 4
“Madness, Examined”
[Whitby Asylum]
(Whitby Asylum. Enter Dr. Seward with a large hypodermic needle, followed by Waites Simmons, Renfield’s attendant, with a chain, Smollet Snelling, a young nurse with a tray of food, and Patti Hennessey, an older nurse.)
SEWARD
…The case of Renfield grows more interesting as I get to understand the man. He has certain qualities very largely developed. He seems to have some settled scheme of hi
s own. But what it is, I do not yet know.
SNELLING
In layman’s terms, Doctor Seward?
SIMMONS
He’s off his nut.
SEWARD
This morning we had to transfer him to solitary. This is why I need to assign the three of you to his care. At present, he must be restrained in order that I can administer an injection of opiate. He needs to sleep.
HENNESSEY
Dr. Seward, if I may ask,… Why was he transferred to solitary?
SEWARD
Mr. Renfield has become delusional. He has some idea that by ingesting insects he can protect and prolong his life. This morning Simmons and I caught him with a mouthful.
SNELLING
Full of… what, exactly?
SIMMONS
Clenched his teeth, he did. We pried open his jaw with an iron crow. His maw was over-run, crawlin’ with ants, gnats, fleas, and termites. He said it would keep him from dyin’.
SEWARD
Occasionally, he refers to himself in the third person and threatens to increase his consumption of vermin to cockroaches and mice.
SIMMONS
He can have ‘em.
SEWARD
Simmons, you will take possession of the key to his cell. Miss Snelling, you will bring the man his meals. Thrice daily. Mrs. Hennessey, you will be responsible for his baths. For now, the hypodermic is ready. Miss Snelling, stand further off beyond the length of his tether. Simmons, grab hold of the chain and mind his strength.
SIMMONS
Yes, Doctor.
SNELLING
Is he dangerous, Dr. Seward?
(Low, foreboding music eases in.)
SEWARD
They all are, Smollet… All of them… Mr. Simmons?
(Simmons unlocks the door to the cell.)
SIMMONS
All right, then, Mr. Renfield! Wakey-wakey! The doctor is in to see you!
(As music increases in volume, we see a dark figure, large and hulking, slowly stirring from within the cell. It is in black silhouette as there is a ghastly green light glowing from within. Once Renfield emerges, we see how disheveled, filthy, and large he is. He appears to tower over the three hospital employees. There is a palpable sense of tension and danger in the air. The musically-orchestrated build-up to Renfield’s entrance is almost humorous. It stops suddenly.)
RENFIELD
Someone called?… Dr. Seward and friends! Welcome to Renfield’s humble abode. Now that these are my new ‘accommodations’, you don’t come around much anymore. You avoid your patients as one would the very mouth of Hell. Which brings to mind a simple riddle. When might one not avoid the very mouth of Hell? Omnia romae vernalia sunt – Hell has its price.
SEWARD
Very good, Mr. Renfield. I’ve come to administer an injection. It will help you to sleep.
RENFIELD
Dr. Seward, Governor of Whitby Asylum. Why have you brought your attendants here? To witness your expertise with a stark-raving lunatic? A madman? Renfield knows what you say about him; Great physical strength; morbidly excitable; periods of gloom; possibly dangerous, probably malicious, and zoophagous!
SEWARD
Mr. Renfield, your collection of flies must go. It is unsanitary. Simmons, fetch a rubbish bin.
REFIELD
Oh, no! Dr. Seward, they are just now fattening up nicely on clumps of sugar! Then, they’ll be ready to feed to my spiders. Might Renfield have three days? He will clear them away!
SEWARD
We will discuss this at length after you’ve had proper rest.
SNELLING
I’ve brought you some food, Mr. Renfield.
RENFIELD
Thank you, no, Miss. Mr. Renfield has already dined. But I’m sure Dr. Seward has revealed to you, my ‘special’ diet. Dear Doctor, that reminds me… Might I have a kitten, a nice, little, sleek, playful kitten? That I can play with and teach and feed, and feed, and feed?
SEWARD
Would you not rather a cat than a kitten?
RENFIELD
Oh, yes! I would like a cat! I only asked for a kitten lest you should refuse me the larger.
SEWARD
I shall refuse you both, lest you forget who is in power here.
RENFIELD
Oh, but you are sorely mistaken. Thou art but a worm, mere mortal. There is a power greater than all powers and he will arrive in time.
SEWARD
What do you mean, Renfield? Who will arrive?
RENFIELD
The Master! The Master is coming!
SIMMONS
Shall I secure his restraints now, Doctor?
SEWARD
Please.
RENFIELD
Too bad about the girl. She’ll choose another. And you’ll be left to pine.
SEWARD
How do you know of her? Who told you?
RENFIELD
It’s all right. We’ve all nasty habits, personal demons. Yours is the pining after a love you’ll never have. Mine is the ingestation of insect larvae, the taste of fetid slugs crawling within carrion carcasses, the slip-slurping of live maggots into the vortex of my throat… But you, yours is a sickness of the heart. You see, I know all sorts of things now!
SEWARD
Trouble yourself not, Mr. Renfield. It is time for your injection. You need to sleep this evening.
(Suddenly, just as Seward has approached Renfield with the needle, the lunatic bursts into a spontaneous rage of madness. He is able to toss the needle away and wrap part of his restraint chains around Seward’s neck. Simmons and Snelling panic.)
RENFIELD
NO!!! NO!!! SLEEP THAT KNITS UP THE RAVELL’D SLEEVE OF CARE!, TO SLEEP, PERCHANCE TO DREAM!!!!
(Simmons attempts to help loosen the chain from around Seward’s neck, but to no avail.)
SEWARD
For God’s sake, Simmons! You can’t fight his strength! Go get the syringe! Prick him and push the plunger until the fluid is gone!
RENFIELD
GLAMIS HATH MURDERED SLEEP! RENFIED SHALL SLEEP NO MORE! RENFIELD SHALL SLEEP NO MORE!!!
(Simmons does as he is instructed, he grabs the syringes, jabs the patient and plunges the fluid.)
RENFIELD
Cast your troubles away to sleep,
And drive the needle in two inches deep!
Push, push, that fluid to the brim,
Till you’ve lost your flesh to a death’s head grin.
(Renfield releases his hold upon Seward. He becomes docile quite quickly.)
RENFIELD
Nighty-night, Dr. Seward. May God or… whomever, have mercy upon your soul! My salvation is assured.
(Music. Simmons, Snelling, Hennessey, and Seward manipulate the chains that pull Renfield back into the small cell. Snelling leaves the tray of food with him, just in case. He is locked back inside. Exit the doctor and his attendants. Music plays out into the following scene.)
[END OF SCENE]
Scene 5
“Twas a Rough Night”
[Carpathians, Transylvania]
(The Castle Dracula. Music eases in, intensely evil in quality. Harker is seen restlessly stirring in his bed. Enter, amidst red light and billowing fog, three women in white. They are beautiful and at the same time un-nerving. It is clear that they are of the undead as the pallor of their skin glows a milky hue of near-blue. They have fangs, razor-sharp. Their flowing, white gowns are suggestively sensual. They reach the bed chamber of Jonathan Harker and fix their eyes upon him. He appears to see them, but becomes paralyzed and mute. He is clearly frightened to death.)
WOMAN-IN-WHITE #1
Go on! You are first, and we shall follow.
WOMAN-IN-WHITE #2
The right is yours to begin.
WOMAN-IN-WHITE #3
He is young and strong.
WOMAN-IN-WHITE #1
There are kisses for us all.
WOMAN-IN-WHITE #2
Let us take him together.
WOMAN-IN-WHITE #3
Come, Sisters!
(They surround Harker. He fights to break free of his invisible bonds, but cannot. Each woman goes to a different area of his body as though to begin biting and feeding upon his flesh, One goes to an arm, the other to a foot, and the third to his neck. The moment that they all place their mouths upon him, a blast of fire issues from within the chamber and Dracula appears. He is enraged. The women are startled. They hold from feasting. Yet they stay connected to Harker. They cower beneath the power of their Lord.)
DRACULA
How dare you touch him! Any of you! How dare you cast eyes on him, when I had forbidden it! Back! I tell you all! This one belongs to me! Beware how you meddle with him or you’ll suffer a reckoning with your dark Lord!
(The three of them laugh in evil tones.)
WOMAN-IN-WHITE #1
You yourself never loved.
WOMAN-IN-WHITE #2
You do not love!
WOMAN-IN-WHITE #3
You cannot love!
(The three laugh louder.)
DRACULA
Yes, I too, can love. You yourselves can tell it from the past. Is it not so? Well, now I promise you that when I am done with him, you may have him as you please. Now go! GO! I must awaken him, for there is much work to be done.
WOMAN-IN-WHITE #1
And us?
WOMAN-IN-WHITE #2
What are we to do?
WOMAN-IN-WHITE #3
Are we to have nothing tonight?
WOMAN-IN-WHITE #1
Not so much as a morsel of flesh?
(Music. Dracula produces a cloth sack and tosses it at the women’s feet. The cry of an infant is heard. They open the bag, look within, and smile with delight. They take it with them as they vanish through a window. The echoing of the crying child and the laughter of the women fills the castle halls, as Dracula waves a hand over Harker’s body and gradually withdraws from the bedchamber. As music continues, Harker, as if in a state of sleep, finds his way to the library. Whereupon, there is a small table and a pile of books. He collapses upon them. A beat. Lights rise and music subtly changes to indicate morning. Harker is seen hunched over on the table, his aching head buried within the pile of books. Enter Dracula dressed differently than the previous evening. He seemingly appears from nowhere. He startles Harker who does not hear him approach.)
Dracula of Transylvania: The Epic Play in Three Acts Page 4