"It is yours," he cried, as, seizing a prescription blank from the

table, he wrote down the required formula.

I had the powder in my pocket the following Sunday, upon my
arrival at Noxmere. The day passed pleasantly, and Shakespeare
proved a charming companion rather too much given to reciting
lines from his own works, perhaps, but full of geniality and quite
like the man I had expected to find him. Indeed, had his manner at
the luncheon been the same as that which he displayed at Noxmere
I should have pursued the Jekyll-and-Hyde theory no further. But
now I refused to cast suspicion aside without the supremest test of
trying Jekyll's powders on Bacon. All day long, I avoided allusion to
my professional work, and by nightfall both Bacon and Shakespeare
were so thoroughly convinced that they had thrown me off the scent
that they became frankly and facetiously jocular. I bided my time
until the nightcap hour came, and then, in order to put my plan into
operation, suggested that I be allowed to mix a cocktail for the com-
pany.
"I learned the art from an American friend," I said, "and I assure
you, my Lord, and you, too, William Shakespeare, when you have
swallowed your first Martini you will say that you've never had a
drink before."
"Wassail to the Martini!" cried Bacon, joyously.
"All hail the queue de coq!" roared Shakespeare, jovially a n my pocket the foll
owing Sunday, upon my
arrival at Noxmere. The day passed pleasantly, and Shakespeare
proved a charming companion rather too much given to reciting
lines from his own works, perhaps, but full of geniality and quite
like the man I had expected to find him. Indeed, had his manner at
the luncheon been the same as that which he displayed at Noxmere
I should have pursued the Jekyll-and-Hyde theory no further. But
now I refused to cast suspicion aside without the supremest test of
trying Jekyll's powders on Bacon. All day long, I avoided allusion to
my professional work, and by nightfall both Bacon and Shakespeare
were so thoroughly convinced that they had thrown me off the scent
that they became frankly and facetiously jocular. I bided my time
until the nightcap hour came, and then, in order to put my plan into
operation, suggested that I be allowed to mix a cocktail for the com-
pany.
"I learned the art from an American friend," I said, "and I assure
you, my Lord, and you, too, William Shakespeare, when you have
swallowed your first Martini you will say that you've never had a
drink before."
"Wassail to the Martini!" cried Bacon, joyously.
"All hail the queue de coq!" roared Shakespeare, jovially a
remark which caused Bacon to frown and Shakespeare to turn pale.
What had the "Bard of Avon" to do, indeed, with the French
language ? I said nothing whatever, proceeding at once to the making
of the mixture, and into Bacon's glass I slipped Jekyll's powder. We
all drank, and then
Do you remember Dr. Lanyon's narrative in Stevenson's stirring
account of Jekyll's fall, in which he describes what happened to Mr.
Hyde when he had swallowed the potion ? His words, as I remember
them, ran as follows :
"He put the glass to his lips and drank at one gulp. A cry followed.
He reeled, staggered, clutched at the table and held on, staring with
injected eyes, gasping with open mouth, and as I looked there came,
I thought, a change he seemed to swell, his face became suddenly
black and the features seemed to melt and alter, and the next momenn my pocket t
he following Sunday, upon my
arrival at Noxmere. The day passed pleasantly, and Shakespeare
proved a charming companion rather too much given to reciting
lines from his own works, perhaps, but full of geniality and quite
like the man I had expected to find him. Indeed, had his manner at
the luncheon been the same as that which he displayed at Noxmere
I should have pursued the Jekyll-and-Hyde theory no further. But
now I refused to cast suspicion aside without the supremest test of
trying Jekyll's powders on Bacon. All day long, I avoided allusion to
my professional work, and by nightfall both Bacon and Shakespeare
were so thoroughly convinced that they had thrown me off the scent
that they became frankly and facetiously jocular. I bided my time
until the nightcap hour came, and then, in order to put my plan into
operation, suggested that I be allowed to mix a cocktail for the com-
pany.
"I learned the art from an American friend," I said, "and I assure
you, my Lord, and you, too, William Shakespeare, when you have
swallowed your first Martini you will say that you've never had a
drink before."
"Wassail to the Martini!" cried Bacon, joyously.
"All hail the queue de coq!" roared Shakespeare, jovially a