The professor's experiment: A novel, Vol. 1 (of 3) — John Shaqi
The professor's experiment: A novel, Vol. 1 (of 3)Duchess
Science
The professor's experiment: A novel, Vol. 1 (of 3)
Duchess
Science fiction
Denis would still be here, of course; but what could Denis do? He fell
back upon all the old methods of concealing dead bodies he had ever
heard of, but everything seemed impossible. What fools all those others
must have been! Well, he could give himself up and explain matters; but
then the Professor—to have his great discovery derided and held up to
ridicule! The old man’s look, as he saw it a little while ago, seemed to
forbid his betrayal of his defeat. Great heavens! what was to be done?
He drew himself up with a heavy sigh, and passed his hand across his
eyes, then turned to go back to the inner room to see if the Professor
was still sleeping. As he went he tried to avoid glancing at the couch
where the dead form lay, but when he got close, some force stronger than
his will compelled him to look at it. And as he looked he felt turned
into stone. He seemed frozen to the spot on which he stood; his eyes
refused to remove themselves from what they saw. Staring like one
benumbed, he told himself at last that he was going mad. How otherwise
could he see this thing? Sweat broke out on his forehead, and a cry
escaped him. The corpse was looking at him!
CHAPTER IV.
‘Look, then, into thine heart and write!’
Very intently, too, and as if surprised or trying to remember. Her large
eyes seemed singularly brilliant, and for a while the only thing living
about her. But all at once, as though memory had returned, she sprang to
her feet and stood, strong, and utterly without support, and questioned
him with those eyes silently but eloquently. The queerest thing about it
all to Wyndham was that, instead of being enfeebled by the strange
draught she had drunk, she looked younger, more vigorous, and altogether
another person from the forlorn, poor child of eight hours ago. Her eyes
were now like stars, her lips red and warm; the drug had, beyond doubt,
a property that even the Professor had never dreamt of; it gave not only
rest, but renewed health and life to those who drank it.
Seeing Wyndham did not or could not speak, she did.
‘I am alive—alive!’ she cried, with young and happy exultation. Where
was the desire for death that lay so heavily on her only a few hours
ago? It was all gone. Now it was plain that she desired life—life only.
Her voice rang through the room fresh and clear, filling it with music
of a hope renewed, and so penetrating that it even pierced into the room
beyond. And as it reached it, another cry broke forth—a cry this time
old and feeble.
Wyndham rushed to answer it, taking with him his last memory of the
girl, as she then stood, with her arms thrown out as if in quick
delight, and her whole strange, beautiful face one ray of gladness.
The Professor was sitting up in bed a mere wreck, but with expectation
on every feature. He was trembling visibly.
‘That voice!’ he whispered wildly—‘that voice! I know it. Long years ago
I knew it. Boy, speak—tell me, whose voice was that?’
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