In time! At that moment I heartily wished that Hughes had been at Jericho before he induced me to dabble in his patent medicines. I always did hate them, even as a child.
"It is quite impossible," continued Pybus, "that the sensations which I am now experiencing are the ordinary and natural outcome of a dose of jalap."
"Margaret," groaned Mrs. Chalmers, "I insist upon your coming home."
"Aunt, what is the use of going home?"
"You haven't got a book in the house, Lucas, treating of poisons?"
"I wish you wouldn't talk like that, Pybus. It really is unfair. I quite perceive that I made a mistake in administering the dose after dinner; in fact, I am myself inclined to believe that I misunderstood Hughes, and that the dose ought to be administered before a meal."
"Good God!"
"Pybus!"
"I can't help it. I really cannot help it, sir. The idea of a reasonable person voluntarily swallowing such a concoction as that before his dinner is enough to make any man profane!"
"I don't think, Mr. Lucas," murmured Mrs. Chalmers, "that you have the least idea how ill I feel."