10年以上前に邦訳を読んで、あまり感心しなかった覚えがあったのですが、このたび原書が異常に安い値段で出てたので、思わず衝動買いして、暇をみつけて何気なく読み始めたら、やめられなくなってしまいました。この作品の背筋が寒くなるような薄気味悪さは、原書でないと味わえないもののように思います。ちなみに、100年以上前の作品ですが、英語は意外に読みやすいです。

　ただ、やっぱりこういう怪談話は舞台設定が大事ですね。ルーマニアの奥地の断崖の上の古城で、Jonathan Harker が幽霊伯爵と２人きりですごしている最初のシーンが一番よくできていて、舞台がロンドンの街中に移ると、だんだん退屈になってきます。近代文明と幽霊というのはやっぱり折り合いが悪いように思います。例えば、Lucy Westenra が吸血鬼に襲われて血液を失っているのを見て、Van Helsing を始めとする人々が輸血によって彼女を助けようとしますが、当時は血液型に関する知識がなかったようで、誰の血であろうと患者に流し込みさえすれば患者が息を吹き返すように書かれています。こういうところで、現代の読者は一気にしらけてしまいますよね。血液型のちがう血を吸った吸血鬼が拒絶反応に苦しんでいる、なんていう図を思わず想像してしまったりして（笑）。

Surprisingly “Denn die Toten reiten schnell” or “For the dead travel fast” is more than an opening line to this tale of love in the dangerous moon light. After watching several Drac movies and a few Nosferatu’s, I pretty much though I had a handle on the genera. Little did I know what a wonderful world of mystery and suspense that Bram Stoker opened up for me.

The story is told mostly third party though the papers, diaries, and phonograph recordings (on wax calendars) of those people involve in a tale so bizarre that it almost defies belief. The general story line is that of a Count that plans to move to a more urban setting (from Borgo Pass to London) where there is a richer diet. There he finds succulent women; something he can sing his teeth in. Unfortunately for him a gang of ruffians (including a real-estate agent, asylum director, Texas cowboy and an Old Dutch abnormal psychologist) is out to detour his nocturnal munching. They think they have Drac on the run but with a wing and a prayer he is always one step ahead.

Of more value to the reader is the rich prose chosen by Stoker as he describes the morals and technology of the time. We have to come to grips with or decide if we can perform the rituals that are required to eliminate vampires verses the impropriety of opening graves and staking loved ones. The powers in the book differ from the movie versions in that they are more of persuasion and capabilities to manipulate the local weather. At one point the Dutch Dr. Van Helsing, is so overwhelmed by a beautiful vampire laying in the grave that he almost for gets why he is there and may become vamp chow.

All in all the story is more in the cunning chase. And the question as to will they succeed or will Dracula triumph. Remember “For the dead travel fast.”