Confusion! Only Nellie Cotterill seemed to be incapable of realising that a grave accident had occurred. She had laughed throughout the supper, and she still laughed, hysterically, though she had drunk scarcely any wine. Her mother silenced her.
Denry was the first to recover.
"It 'll be all right," said he, leaning back in his chair. "They always put a bit of poison in those things. It can't hurt me, really. I never noticed the label."
Mrs. Machin smelt at the bottle. She could detect no odour, but the fact that she could detect no odour appeared only to increase her alarm.
"You must have an emetic instantly," she said.
"Oh, no!" said Denry. "I shall be all right." And he did seem to be suddenly restored.
"You must have an emetic instantly," she repeated.
"What can I have?" he grumbled. "You can't expect to find emetics here."
"Oh, yes, I can," said she. "I saw a mustard tin in a cupboard in the kitchen. Come along now, and don't be silly."
Nellie's hysteric mirth surged up again.