CHAPTER XXIV. THE EXPERIMENT.
The next morning Haldane was busy in his laboratory. When he came in to lunch, looking disreputable enough in his old coat, and smelling strongly of tobacco, he said to his wife—
“By-the-by, Nell, do you remember what I told you last night about Dupré’s wonderful elixir? I forgot to tell you that I have brought some of it with me, for purposes of private experiment.” Ellen looked horrified.
“Don’t be afraid,” he continued, laughing; “your cats and dogs are safe from me. I have found a better subject, and mean to operate on him this very afternoon.”
“Whom do you mean?”
“As a sort of penance for his shamming illness, I shall kill Baptisto.”
She uttered a cry, and raised her hands in protest.
“For heavens sake, George, be warned! If you have any of that horrible stuff, throw it away.”
“Now, my dear Nell,” said the philosopher, “be reasonable; there is not the slightest cause for alarm. You will see this experiment, and it will, I hope, treble your faith in miracles.”
“I will not see it. I beseech you, abandon the idea. As for Baptisto——”