The patient lay in a
semi-coma broken by passionate vomitings, and his condition puzzled us
all. I formally stated that he took atropine--had been originally
poisoned by atropine: but we saw that his present symptoms were not
atropine symptoms, but, it almost seemed, of some other vegetable
poison, which we could not precisely name.
'Mysterious thing,' said Clark to me, when we were alone.
'_I_ don't understand it,' I said.
'Who are the two nurses?'
'Oh, highly recommended people of my own.'
'At any rate, my dream about you comes true, Jeffson. It is clear that
Peters is out of the running now.'
I shrugged.
'I now formally invite you to join the expedition,' said Clark: 'do you
consent?'
I shrugged again.
'Well, if that means consent,' he said, 'let me remind you that you have
only eight days, and all the world to do in them.'
This conversation occurred in the dining-room of Peters' house: and as
we passed through the door, I saw Clodagh gliding down the passage
outside--rapidly--away from us.
Pages:
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47