The Midnighter

November 9, 1893 (Augustus Wheeler's Diary)

November 9, 1893

Left Budapest at 8:00 P.M., on 6th November, reaching Leordina today, after two days. I don't really travel anywhere far from London and so this journey was very hectic for me. Felt very tired when I reached here, due to lack of proper sleep. But one thing I must say, the train journey was hectic but it was phenomenal. The majestic Danube river came into view, as the train entered further into the Hungarian countryside. As the train crossed into Romania, the scenery changed. I had heard about the Carpathian mountains, but hadn't been fortunate earlier to see it. We left in pretty good time, so we reached early in the morning, at 6:43 A.M. This is the first time I have been so far from England. Leordina seemed like a lovely place as I walked around for a while near the station. Stopped at a good hotel for the night and will leave for Ravenrose the next morning. Had a fantastic dinner. The waiter and other staff members of the hotel were very polite. Here I found my knowledge of German language to be very useful, as in these areas, German language is widely used. I also went out for a walk around the hotel. The atmosphere was amazing. Abrupt winter winds make it simply breathtaking. These sceneries are uncommon at London's side. Trees slightly covered with snow, which looks magnificent. Overall, I understood this place is worth exploring. I wish I could bring Julia here, she would absolutely love this place. I have decided to record my whole journey in this diary, so it would be easier for me when I talk about my travels with Julia.

Mrs. Julia Wheeler, my beloved wife. She loves travelling. But even after completing six months of our marriage, we couldn't go on a trip anywhere together. So I wanted to bring her with me. But when I was leaving, she was visiting her aunt's residence. Her aunt had invited us to stay with her for a few days. I couldn't go because I had much pending work, so I told her to go alone at first. My initial plan was to complete my work within the day and then join her company at her aunt's residence, until I received Kingsley's letter. My friend and business partner Kingsley sent me a letter stating the urgency of my presence in Ravenrose, for our business. He said it was a marvellous opportunity. He had a talk with an aristocratic man, Lord Lazarus, and said that he wants to build a hotel there with the help of our company. I understood that I cannot leave this opportunity to be delayed, so I left as soon as possible. Thank God that I got a ticket for Leordina, even on such a busy day like that. I wrote a letter to Julia, to tell her about my whereabouts. I hope she won't be mad at me for not taking her with me. I will keep writing her letters as I don't know how much time it would take me to finish my work here and return to London. This diary will help me keep an account of my whole journey.

My habit of writing diary came from my friend Jonathan Harker. A very elegant and polite man. Met him when I was studying law. Also learnt German during that time. Though later on, studying law didn't work out well for me, but it did for him. And I am proud that very soon he will be a respected lawyer. It has been a long time since we have met. The last time I heard from him was that he too was going to visit Romania, for his law firm had got a very big deal from a reputable client. Though I don't know anything about his client, I know that Jonathan didn't come this way to Ravenrose as his work was in Transylvania. I hope the deal went well for him and his firm.