Dracula Dictionary June 17th

"as I was sitting on the edge of my bed cudgelling my brains"
Cudgel one's brains:
To try very hard to comprehend, solve, think of, or remember something

"I heard without a cracking of whips"
Without:
Here: outside

"and saw drive into the yard two great leiter-wagons"
Leiter-wagon:
From german Leiterwagen (ladder wagon): a wooden wagon with side walls that resemble ladders

"but just then the "hetman" of the Szgany came out"
Hetman:
Ukranian version of ataman, related to german Hauptmann (leader): the elected chief of a Cossack village or military force
Szgany:
A slur for romani people