Quote 1
"He has all along, since his coming, been trying his power, slowly but surely; that big child-brain of his is working." (23.4)
Van Helsing assures the rest of the Crew of Light that even Dracula's brain is different from theirs—it's a "child-brain."
Quote 2
In his life, his living life, he go over the Turkey frontier and attack his enemy on his own ground; he be beaten back, but did he stay? No! He come again, and again, and again. (24.15)
Dracula has always been persistent. In the past, he's invaded other countries, and Van Helsing uses his knowledge of history to help predict what Dracula will do now.
Quote 3
Thus are we ministers of God's own wish: that the world, and men for whom His Son die, will not be given over to monsters, whose very existence would defame Him. He have allowed us to redeem one soul already, and we go out as the old knights of the Cross to redeem more. Like them we shall travel towards the sunrise; and like them, if we fall, we fall in good cause. (24.12)
Because Romania borders on Turkey, Van Helsing compares their mission with the old Crusaders, or the "knights of the Cross," who traveled east ("towards the sunrise") to Jerusalem to "reclaim" it for Christians. Van Helsing believes that they're on a mission from God.
Quote 4
My friend John and I have consulted; and we are about to perform what we call a transfusion of blood—to transfer from full veins of one to the empty veins which pine for him. (10.19)
Blood transfusions were a relatively new procedure in 1897, and believe us, they weren't pleasant operations. The needles doctors used were huge!
Quote 5
Telegram, Van Helsing, Antwerp, to Seward, Carfax (Sent to Carfax, Sussex, as no county given; delivered late by twenty-two hours) (11.56)
Sometimes technologies can fail. Your computer can crash the night before an essay is due, or a telegram can go to the wrong address, resulting in the girl you love being bitten by a vampire.
Quote 6
A year ago which of us would have received such a possibility, in the midst of our scientific, matter-of-fact nineteenth century? (18.42)
Van Helsing and the rest of the Crew of Light have to get over their faith in science and logic—vampires do exist, even "in the midst of our scientific, "matter-of-fact nineteenth century."
Quote 7
Then the beautiful eyes of the fair woman open and look love, and the voluptuous mouth present to a kiss—and man is weak. (27.29)
Van Helsing explains why the Brides of Dracula at the Castle have to be dealt with—they're just too sexy! They can seduce any man. In his opinion, no woman should have that kind of power, so he's going to step up and kill them for everyone's good.
Quote 8
Yes, I was moved—I, Van Helsing, with all my purpose and with my motive for hate—I was moved to a yearning for delay which seemed to paralyse my faculties and to clog my very soul. (27.30)
Even the great Van Helsing felt the sexy power of the "weird sisters." Of course, he gets over it, and stakes all three of them.
"If so that, then what about the others? Ho, ho! Then this so sweet maid is a polyandrist, and me, with my poor wife dead to me, but alive by Church's law, though no wits, all gone—even I, who am faithful husband to this now-no-wife, am bigamist." (13.85)
If Arthur "married" Lucy by giving her his blood, then she's married to four people. Van Helsing finds this hilarious, especially because he's already married, and his wife is insane. Wait, why is that funny?
Quote 10
A brave man's blood is the best thing on this earth when a woman is in trouble. You're a man, and no mistake. (12.28)
We don't want to tell Van Helsing how to do his job, but we can think of a lot of things that are more useful to a "woman in trouble" than "a brave man's blood."
Quote 11
She is one of God's women, fashioned by His own hand to show us men and other women that there is a heaven where we can enter, and that its light can be here on earth. So true, so sweet, so noble, so little an egoist—and that, let me tell you, is much in this age, so sceptical and selfish. (14.52)
Van Helsing really thinks highly of Mina, doesn't he? She represents a feminine ideal: She's intelligent, but also submissive and nurturing.
Quote 12
[Mina] has a man's brain—a brain that a man should have were he much gifted—and a woman's heart. The good God fashioned her for a purpose, believe me, when He made that so good combination. (18.22)
Mina's combination of masculine intellect and feminine sweetness makes her almost saint-like in Van Helsing's eyes.
Quote 13
Thus are we ministers of God's own wish: that the world, and men for whom His Son die, will not be given over to monsters, whose very existence would defame Him. He have allowed us to redeem one soul already, and we go out as the old knights of the Cross to redeem more. Like them we shall travel towards the sunrise; and like them, if we fall, we fall in good cause. (24.12)
Van Helsing imagines that their struggle against Dracula is analogous to the medieval Crusades.