Дракула / Dracula

Having had some time at my disposal when in London, I had visited the British Museum, and made search among the books and maps in the library regarding Transylvania; it had struck me that some foreknowledge of the country could hardly fail to have some importance in dealing with a nobleman of that country[3 - that some foreknowledge of the country could hardly fail to have some importance in dealing with a nobleman of that country – мне казалось, что всякая мелочь, любые знания об этой стране окажутся полезными в общении с тамошним аристократом].

I find that the district he named is in the extreme east of the country, just on the borders of three states, Transylvania, Moldavia, and Bukovina, in the midst of the Carpathian mountains; one of the wildest and least known portions of Europe.

I was not able to light on any map or work giving the exact locality of the Castle Dracula, as there are no maps of this country as yet to compare with our own Ordnance Survey Maps[4 - Ordnance Survey Maps – военно-топографические карты]; but I found that Bistritz, the post town named by Count Dracula, is a fairly well-known place.

I shall enter here some of my notes, as they may refresh my memory when I talk over my travels with Mina.

In the population of Transylvania there are four distinct nationalities: Saxons in the South, and mixed with them the Wallachs, who are the descendants of the Dacians; Magyars in the West, and Szekelys in the East and North[5 - Saxons in the South, and mixed with them the Wallachs, who are the descendants of the Dacians; Magyars in the West, and Szekelys in the East and North – на юге саксонцы вперемешку с валахами – народом, происходящим от даков; на западе венгры и секли на востоке и севере].

I am going among the latter, who claim to be descended from Attila and the Huns[6 - Huns– гунны]. This may be so, for when the Magyars conquered the country in the eleventh century they found the Huns settled in it.

I read that every known superstition in the world is gathered into the horseshoe of the Carpathians, as if it were the centre of some sort of imaginative whirlpool; if so my stay may be very interesting. (Mem., I must ask the Count all about them.