Tales of Terror and Mystery

           Youhavenoidea,Itrust,ofmakingapersonofmysmallstatureswallowitall."’ShallIreadthedetailsofthetorture?"

           "No,forHeaven’ssake,don’t."

           "Hereisasentencewhichmustsurelyshowyouthatwhatishererecordedistheveryscenewhichyouhavegazedupontonight:’ThegoodAbbePirot,unabletocontemplatetheagonieswhichweresufferedbyhispenitent,hadhurriedfromtheroom.’Doesthatconvinceyou?"

           "Itdoesentirely.Therecanbenoquestionthatitisindeedthesameevent.Butwho,then,isthisladywhoseappearancewassoattractiveandwhoseendwassohorrible?"

           ForanswerDacrecameacrosstome,andplacedthesmalllampuponthetablewhichstoodbymybed.Liftinguptheill-omenedfiller,heturnedthebrassrimsothatthelightfellfulluponit.Seeninthiswaytheengravingseemedclearerthanonthenightbefore.

           "Wehavealreadyagreedthatthisisthebadgeofamarquisorofamarquise,"saidhe."WehavealsosettledthatthelastletterisB."

           "Itisundoubtedlyso."

           "Inowsuggesttoyouthattheotherlettersfromlefttorightare,M,M,asmalld,A,asmalld,andthenthefinalB."

           "Yes,Iamsurethatyouareright.Icanmakeoutthetwosmalld’squiteplainly."

           "WhatIhavereadtoyoutonight,"saidDacre,"istheofficialrecordofthetrialofMarieMadeleined’Aubray,MarquisedeBrinvilliers,oneofthemostfamouspoisonersandmurderersofalltime."

           Isatinsilence,overwhelmedattheextraordinarynatureoftheincident,andatthecompletenessoftheproofwithwhichDacrehadexposeditsrealmeaning