صفحة 215 من 490

"I have no doubt it was not an accident, Dorian, though it must

be put in that way to the public. It seems that as she was

leaving the theatre with her mother, about half-past twelve or

so, she said she had forgotten something upstairs. They waited

some time for her, but she did not come down again. They

ultimately found her lying dead on the floor of her

dressing-room. She had swallowed something by mistake, some

dreadful thing they use at theatres. I don't know what it was,

but it had either prussic acid or white lead in it. I should

fancy it was prussic acid, as she seems to have died

instantaneously."

"Harry, Harry, it is terrible!" cried the lad.