English for Everybody - Elementary reading comprehension

Dracula

Page 50

Die like a man

 

'Save me! Save me!' he shouted, and then looked around at the blanket of fog. His horror turned to despair. Then he said calmly, 'You should come too, captain, before it is too late.'

'He is there! I know the secret now. The sea will save me from him, and the sea is all that I have!' Before I could say a word, or move forward to get hold of him, he jumped on to the side of the ship. Then he deliberately jumped into the sea. I suppose that now I know the secret too. It was this madman who killed the men one by one, and now he has killed himself too. God help me! How will I explain all these horrors when I get to land? When I get to land! Will that ever happen?

4 August. The light from the sunrise cannot get through the fog. I know it is sunrise because I am a sailor. There is no other reason. I did not dare to go below, I dared not leave the wheel. So I stayed here all night. In the dark of the night I saw It, Him! God, forgive me, but the mate was right to jump off the ship. It was better to die like a man. To die like a sailor in blue water. No man can say that is wrong. But I am the captain, and I must not leave my ship. But I shall stop the plan of this monster. When I can not go on, I shall tie my hands to the wheel. In my hands I shall tie something which this creature does not dare to touch.

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