I drew near and looked. The coffin was empty. It was certainly a surprise to me, and gave me a considerable shock, but Van Helsing was unmoved. He was now more sure than ever of his ground, and so emboldened to proceed in his task. "Are you satisfied now, friend John?" he asked.
– Bram Stoker
Dracula, Chapter 15. Dr. John Seward, writing in his diary. Van Helsing takes Seward go to the cemetery to check on Lucy’s tomb and Seward is shocked to find it empty. Van Helsing has been trying to convince his former pupil Dr. Seward that Lucy has become a vampire, but man of science Seward’s response was to ask his old professor if he was mad.