But when her hand came in contact with the glass containing the deadly drug, the terrible shock dissipated her bewilderment; she regained the full possession of her faculties; the power of calm deliberation returned.
This is proved by the fact that her first thought was this:
“I am ignorant even of the name of the poison which I hold. What dose must I administer, much or little?”
She opened the vial, not without considerable difficulty, and poured a few grains of its contents into the palm of her hand. It was a fine, white powder, glistening like pulverized glass, and looking not unlike sugar.
“Can it really be sugar?” she thought.
Resolved to ascertain, she moistened the tip of her finger, and collected upon it a few atoms of the powder which she placed upon her tongue.
The taste was like that of an extremely acid apple.
Without hesitation, without remorse, without even turning pale, she poured into the bowl the entire contents of the vial.
Her self-possession was so perfect, she even recollected that the powder might be slow in dissolving, and she stirred it gently for a moment or more.
Having done this—she seemed to think of everything—she tasted the bouillon. She noticed a slightly bitter taste, but it was not sufficiently perceptible to awaken distrust.