Page:Braddon--The Trail of the Serpent.djvu/127

Rh you is this. Something which will change a glass of wine into a death-warrant, but which will defy the scrutiny of a college of physicians. This lady wishes to take a lesson in chemistry. She will, of course, only experimentalise on rabbits, and she is so tender-hearted that, as you see, she shudders even at the thought of that little cruelty. For the rest, to repay you for your trouble, if you will give her pen and ink, she will write you an order on her banker for five thousand francs.

Monsieur Blurosset appears no more surprised at this request than if he had been asked for a glass of water. He goes to a cabinet, which he opens, and after a little search selects a small tin box, from which he takes a few grains of white powder, which he screws carelessly in a scrap of newspaper. He is so much accustomed to handling these compounds that he treats them with very small ceremony.

"It is a slow poison," he says. "For a full-grown rabbit use the eighth part of what you have there; the whole of it would poison a man; but death in either case would not be immediate. The operation of the poison occupies some hours before it terminates fatally."

"Madame will use it with discretion," says Raymond; "do not fear."

Monsieur Blurosset holds out the little packet as if expecting Valerie to take it; she recoils with a ghastly face, and shudders as she looks from the chemist to Raymond Marolles.

"In this degenerate age," says Raymond, looking her steadily in the face, "our women cannot redress their own wrongs, however deadly those wrongs may be; they must have fathers, brothers, or uncles to fight for them, and the world to witness the struggle. Bah! There is not a woman in France who is any better than a sentimental schoolgirl."

Valerie stretches out her small hand to receive the packet.

"Give me the pen, monsieur," says she; and the chemist presents her a half-sheet of paper, on which she writes hurriedly an order on her bankers, which she signs in full with her maiden name.

Monsieur Blurosset looked over the paper as she wrote.

"Valerie de Cevennes!" he exclaimed. "I did not know I was honoured by so aristocratic a visitor."

Valerie put her hand to her head as if bewildered. "My name!" she muttered, "I forgot, I forgot."

"What do you fear, madame?" asked Raymond, with a smile. "Are you not among friends?"

"For pity's sake, monsieur," she said, "give me your arm, and take me back to the carriage! I shall drop down dead if I stay longer in this room."