"To bathe in the very heart's blood of the one desired," he added with
grave emphasis.
The fire spurted and crackled and made me start, but Maloney found
relief in a genuine shudder, and I saw him turn his head and look about
him from the sea to the trees. The wind dropped just at that moment and
the doctor's words rang sharply through the stillness.
"Then it might even kill?" stammered the clergyman presently in a hushed
voice, and with a little forced laugh by way of protest that sounded
quite ghastly.
"In the last resort it might kill," repeated Dr. Silence. Then, after
another pause, during which he was clearly debating how much or how
little it was wise to give to his audience, he continued: "And if the
Double does not succeed in getting back to its physical body, that
physical body would wake an imbecile--an idiot--or perhaps never wake at
all."
Maloney sat up and found his tongue.
"You mean that if this fluid animal thing, or whatever it is, should be
prevented getting back, the man might never wake again?" he asked, with
shaking voice.
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