May 16th - Today Jonathan meets the other residents of the house
The Count's warning came into my mind, but I took a pleasure in disobeying it.
Poor Jonathan, by disobeying a warning he is forfeiting any protection that it may have given.
"Go on! You are first, and we shall follow; yours is the right to begin."
As stated by one of the brides- particularly "Yours is the right to begin" implying that only one has the claim to the territory that was violated - and the others have to wait for her to start.
"How dare you touch him, any of you? How dare you cast eyes on him when I had forbidden it? Back, I tell you all! This man belongs to me! Beware how you meddle with him, or you'll have to deal with me."
In reply to the scene by dracula where he makes an error- in "How dare you touch him, any of you?" He implies that the bride's claim on Jonathan was unjust and not the result of him violating their territories. Additionally "How dare you cast eyes on him when I had forbidden it?" Implies the existence of multiple possibilities
The brides intentionally violating the boundaries placed around the territory to create a trap
The brides kidnapping Jonathan into the room deliberately against his will
The brides choosing to see Jonathan as a new romantic partner
"You yourself never loved; you never love!"
The fair girl as named in the text uses this opportunity to mock dracula accusing him of not being able to recognize the situation he came across.
Yes, I too can love; you yourselves can tell it from the past. Is it not so? Well, now I promise you that when I am done with him you shall kiss him at your will. Now go! go! I must awaken him, for there is work to be done."
In Dracula's answer to the situation he once again uses "is it not so?" As a way to trap someone into forcing someone to confirming something - this time it had been something that was being argued about while he had something they wanted as a hostage. The use of "Well, now I promise you that when I am done with him you shall kiss him at your will." shows that he acknowledges their claim to Jonathan but only in a lesser capacity to his own. They will only be able to hunt him independently after dracula has decided he is finished.
