Dracula: Chapter 20 Summary & Analysis

Jonathan Harker's Journal. October 1. Evening. Jonathan speaks to one of the men who moved the boxes from Carfax to another location, to see if he can't find out where exactly this other location is. But the man, a lower class English worker, talks playfully with Jonathan and cannot give him any exact information about the whereabouts of the boxes. Jonathan reiterates that he is glad the group is keeping Mina "out of the loop" on these latest Dracula developments, as he fears she is now overcome with a nervous condition about the Count.

Jonathan Harker's Journal. October 2. Evening. Harker continues seeking out places where Dracula might have stored the other 21 boxes—he does so by talking to various tradesman who have handled the boxes in London. One tradesman points him to a house near Piccadilly, in a central part of London—Harker reports back to the men of the group that he believes some number of the boxes to be stored there. But Arthur and Morris remind Harker that breaking into a house in so busy an area would be difficult—the group agrees they need to figure out a different way of approaching and "neutralizing" these boxes.

Before sleep that night, Harker writes that Mina's breathing has become even heavier, and her complexion appears withdrawn and pale.

Seward's Diary. October 1. Seward has another meeting with Renfield, who appears again to lust after "life" and "power"—his madness has returned. But this time, Renfield says he does not want animal souls, nor souls at all—he has found another source, which he strongly hints to be blood. Seward is terrified by this, at a second meeting later that day, and realizes, after this second, afternoon meeting, that Renfield and Dracula are almost certainly in cahoots, and that perhaps Renfield wishes, also, to suck on the blood of innocents.

Once again, that day, in the evening, Seward and Van Helsing go in to speak with Renfield and find him singing—he does not acknowledge their presence, and Van Helsing, like Seward, believes that Renfield might once again be in league with Dracula.

Letter from Mitchell and Sons to Arthur. October 1. In a brief letter, Mitchell and Sons, broker to the house in Piccadilly the group believes to be inhabited by Dracula and his boxes, writes to Arthur, whom Harker has put in touch with the broker, pretending that Arthur wishes to lease this house from Dracula. Mitchell replies that Arthur can see the house soon. Mitchell seems swayed by the idea that Arthur is a lord, and that, therefore, his interest in the house in genuine.

Seward's Diary. October 2. Seward dispatches an orderly to stand outside Renfield's room, to look after him, as he and Van Helsing sense that Dracula might visit Renfield. Seward remarks that Arthur and Harker are working on an entry into the Piccadilly house, and Morris is working to procure horses in case the group needs them. Seward wonders if they all aren't mad in their preparations to catch Dracula—but only half-seriously.

Seward reports, in a quick entry, that later that evening Renfield is found in his room, his face smashed, lying face-down in a pool of his own blood. Seward rushes back into the room to investigate the cause of this.