Отруєний пояс
Chapter II. The Tide Of Death
Fromtheaccountsthepoisonouseffectbeginswithmentalexcitement;theriotinginParisthismorningissaidtohavebeenveryviolent,andtheWelshcolliersareinastateofuproar.Sofarastheevidencetohandcanbetrusted,thisstimulativestage,whichvariesmuchinracesandinindividuals,issucceededbyacertainexaltationandmentallucidity—Iseemtodiscernsomesignsofitinouryoungfriendhere—which,afteranappreciableinterval,turnstocoma,deepeningrapidlyintodeath.Ifancy,sofarasmytoxicologycarriesme,thattherearesomevegetablenervepoisons——"
"Datura,"suggestedSummerlee.
"Excellent!"criedChallenger."Itwouldmakeforscientificprecisionifwenamedourtoxicagent.Letitbedaturon.Toyou,mydearSummerlee,belongsthehonour—posthumous,alas,butnonethelessunique—ofhavinggivenanametotheuniversaldestroyer,theGreatGardener’sdisinfectant.Thesymptomsofdaturon,then,maybetakentobesuchasIindicate.Thatitwillinvolvethewholeworldandthatnolifecanpossiblyremainbehindseemstometobecertain,sinceetherisauniversalmedium.Uptonowithasbeencapriciousintheplaceswhichithasattacked,butthedifferenceisonlyamatterofafewhours,anditislikeanadvancingtidewhichcoversonestripofsandandthenanother,runninghitherandthitherinirregularstreams,untilatlastithassubmergeditall.Therearelawsatworkinconnectionwiththeactionanddistributionofdaturonwhichwouldhavebeenofdeepinteresthadthetimeatourdisposalpermittedustostudythem.
