convinced that not only did her death proceed from poison, but I could also specify the poison.’ ”
“Can it be possible?”
“The symptoms are marked, do you see?—sleep broken by nervous spasms, excitation of the brain, torpor of the nerve centres. Madame de Saint-Méran succumbed to a powerful dose of brucine or of strychnine, which by some mistake, perhaps, has been given to her.”
Villefort seized the doctor’s hand.
“Oh, it is impossible,” said he, “I must be dreaming! It is frightful to hear such things from such a man as you! Tell me, I entreat you, my dear doctor, that you may be deceived.”
“Doubtless I may, but—”
“But?”
“But I do not think so.”
“Have pity on me doctor! So many dreadful things have