"Is this the room where the tragedy took place?" asked Paul as the two doctors were shown into the room by Villebois.
"No, that was downstairs. This room has been specially prepared for the professor."
Paul went up to Delapine, who was lying white as marble and apparently lifeless.
"Yes, there is the syringe mark right enough."
Seizing the arm, he inserted a sterilised probe and then forcibly squeezed the skin. A few drops of yellowish fluid came out. He collected it on a watch glass and warmed it over a spirit flame. A tiny white deposit remained.
"Let me put this under your microscope," he said to Dr. Villebois. It was brought, and he carefully examined the crystals.
"I thought so. These are the crystals of the Japanese alkaloid right enough. There can be no doubt about what his condition is due to."
"What do you think about him?" asked Roux.
"He is either dead or will die very shortly."
Renée looked up with her heart thumping violently, apparently unable to grasp the full significance of the calamity.