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that pretty cabinet of yours。 Now they are all gone； won't you
show the inside of it to _me？_〃
The doctor laughed in his pleasantest manner。
〃The old story；〃 he said。 〃Blue…Beard's locked chamber； and
female curiosity！ （Don't go； Benjamin； don't go。） My dear lady；
what interest can you possibly have in looking at a medical
bottle； simply because it happens to be a bottle of poison？〃
She repeated her lesson for the second time。
〃I have the interest of looking at it；〃 she said； 〃and of
thinking； if it got into some people's hands； of the terrible
things it might do。〃
The doctor glanced at his assistant with a compassionate smile。
〃Curious； Benjamin；〃 he said； 〃the romantic view taken of these
drugs of ours by the unscientific mind！ My dear lady；〃 he added；
turning to Miss Gwilt； 〃if _that_ is the interest you attach to
looking at poisons； you needn't ask me to unlock my cabinetyou
need only look about you round the shelves of this room。 There
are all sorts of medical liquids and substances in those
bottlesmost innocent； most useful in themselveswhich； in
combination with other substances and other liquids； become
poisons as terrible and as deadly as any that I have in my
cabinet under lock and key。〃
She looked at him for a moment； and creased to the opposite side
of the room。
〃Show me one；〃 she said；
Still smiling as good…humoredly as ever； the doctor humored his
nervous patient。 He pointed to the bottle from which he had
privately removed the yellow liquid on the previous day； and
which he had filled up again with a carefully…colored imitation
in the shape of a mixture of his own。
〃Do you see that bottle；〃 he said〃that plump； round；
comfortable…looking bottle？ Never mind the name of what is beside
it； let us stick to the bottle； and distinguish it； if you like；
by giving it a name of our own。 Suppose we call it 'our Stout
Friend'？ Very good。 Our Stout Friend； by himself； is a most
harmless and useful medicine。 He is freely dispensed every day to
tens of thousands of patients all over the civilized world。 He
has made no romantic appearances in courts of law； he has excited
no breathless interest in novels； he has played no terrifying
part on the stage。 There he is； an innocent； inoffensive
creature； who troubles nobody with the responsibility of locking
him up！ _But_ bring him into contact with something
elseintroduce him to the acquaintance of a certain common
mineral substance； of a universally accessible kind； broken into
fragments； provide yourself with （say） six doses of our Stout
Friend； and pour those doses consecutively on the fragments I
have mentioned； at intervals of not less than five minutes。
Quantities of little bubbles will rise at every pouring； collect
the gas in those bubbles； and convey it into a closed
chamberand let Samson himself be in that closed chamber； our
stout Friend will kill him in half an hour！ Will kill him slowly；
without his seeing anything； without his smelling anything；
without his feeling anything but sleepiness。 Will kill him； and
tell the whole College of Surgeons nothing； if they examine him
after death； but that he died of apoplexy or congestion of the
lungs！ What do you think of _that；_ my dear lady； in the way of
mystery and romance？ Is our harmless Stout Friend as interesting
_now_ as if he rejoiced in the terrible popular fame of the
Arsenic and the Strychnine which I keep locked up there？ Don't
suppose I am exaggerating！ Don't suppose I'm inventing a story to
put you off with； as the children say。 Ask Benjamin there；〃 said
the doctor； appealing to his assistant； with his eyes fixed on
Miss Gwilt。 〃Ask Benjamin；〃 he repeated； with the steadiest
emphasis on the next words； 〃if six doses from that bottle； at
intervals of five minutes each； would not； under the conditions I
have stated； produce the results I have described？〃
The Resident Dispenser； modestly admiring Miss Gwilt at a
distance； started and colored up。 He was plainly gratified by the
little attention which had included him in the conversation。
〃The doctor is quite right； ma'am；〃 he said； addressing Miss
Gwilt； with his best bow； 〃the production of the gas； extended
over half an hour； would be quite gradual enough。 And；〃 added the
Dispenser； silently appealing to his employer to let him exhibit
a little chemical knowledge on his own account； 〃the volume of
the gas would be sufficient at the end of the timeif I am not
mistaken； sir？to be fatal to any person entering the room in
less than five minutes。〃
〃Unquestionably； Benjamin；〃 rejoined the doctor。 〃But I think we
have had enough of chemistry for the present；〃 he added； turning
to Miss Gwilt。 〃With every desire； my dear lady； to gratify every
passing wish you may form； I venture to propose trying a more
cheerful subject。 Suppose we leave the Dispensary； before it
suggests any more inquiries to that active mind of yours？ No？ You
want to see an experiment？ You want to see how the little bubbles
are made？ Well； well！ there is no harm in that。 We will let Mrs。
Armadale see the bubbles；〃 continued the doctor； in the tone of a
parent humoring a spoiled child。 〃Try if you can find a few of
those fragments that we want； Benjamin。 I dare say the workmen
（slovenly fellows！） have left something of the sort about the
house or the grounds。〃
The Resident Dispenser left the room。
As soon as his back was turned； the doctor began opening and
shutting drawers in various parts of the Dispensary； with the air
of a man who wants something in a hurry； and does not know where
to find it。 〃Bless my soul！〃 he exclaimed； suddenly stopping at
the drawer from which he had taken his cards of invitation on the
previous day； 〃what's this？ A key？ A duplicate key； as I'm alive；
of my fumigating apparatus upstairs！ Oh dear； dear； how careless
I get；〃 said the doctor； turning round briskly to Miss Gwilt。 〃I
hadn't the least idea that I possessed this second key。 I should
never have missed it。 I do assure you I should never have missed
it if anybody had taken it out of the drawer！〃 He bustled away to
the other end of the roomwithout closing the drawer； and
without taking away the duplicate key。
In silence； Miss Gwilt listened till he had done。 In silence； she
glided to the drawer。 In silence； she took the key and hid it in
her apron pocket。
The Dispenser came back； with the fragments required of him；
collected in a basin。 〃Thank you； Benjamin；〃 said the doctor。
〃Kindly cover them with water； while I get the bottle down。〃
As accidents sometimes happen in the most perfectly regulated
families； so clumsiness sometimes possesses itself of the most
perfectly disciplined hands。 In the process of its transfer from
the shelf to the doctor； the bottle slipped and fell smashed to
pieces on the floor。
〃Oh； my fingers and thumbs！〃 cried the doctor； with an air of
comic vexation； 〃what in the world do you mean by playing me such
a wicked trick as that？ Well； well； wellit can't be helped。
Have we got any more of it； Benjamin？〃
〃Not a drop； sir。〃
〃Not a drop！〃 echoed the doctor。 〃My dear madam； what excuses can
I offer you？ My clumsiness has made our little experiment