He waved his thin, emaciated hand in the air as he spoke.
"Oh, that doesn't matter in the least," said Jennie. "I have several other bottles here in my satchel."
The Professor placed his hands on the arms of his chair, and slowly raised himself to his feet.
"You have others," he cried, "other bottles? Let me see them--let me see them!"
With a speed which, after his recent collapse, Jennie had not expected, the Professor ambled round to the door and placed his back against it. The glasses over his eyes seemed to sparkle as if with fire. His talon-like fingers crooked rigidly. He breathed rapidly, and was evidently labouring under intense excitement.
"Who knows you came up to see me?" he whispered hoarsely, glaring at her.
Jennie, having arisen, stood there, smoothing down her perfectly fitting glove, and answered with a calmness she was far from feeling,--
"Who knows I am here? No one but the Director of Police."
"Oh, the Director of Police!" echoed the Professor, quite palpably abashed by the unexpected answer. The rigidity of his attitude relaxed, and he became once more the old man he had appeared as he sat in a heap in his chair. "You will excuse me," he muttered, edging round towards the chair again; "I was excited."
"I noticed that you were, Professor. But before you sit down again, please unlock that door."
"Why?" he asked, pausing on his way to the chair.
"And I," he said in a higher tone, "wish it to remain locked until we have come to some understanding. I can't let you go out now; but I shall permit you to go unmolested as soon as you have made some explanation to me."
"If you do not unlock the door immediately I shall take this machine and fling it through the front window out on the street. The crashing glass on the pavement will soon bring someone to my rescue, Professor, and, as I have a voice of my own and small hesitation about shouting, I shall have little difficulty in directing the strangers where to come."
As Jennie spoke she moved swiftly towards the table on which stood the strange aggregation of reflectors and bent glass tubing.
"No, no, no!" screamed the Professor, springing between her and the table. "Touch anything but that--anything but that. Do not disturb it an inch--there is danger--death not only to you and me, but perhaps to the whole city. Keep away from it!"