Two pints of spring water were then
poured into the saucepan, and to this were added 1 ounce of oxalic
acid, 1 ounce of verdigris, 1-1/2 ounces of hemlock leaves, 1/2 ounce
of henbane, 3/4 ounce of saffron, 2 ounces of aloes, 3 drachms of
opium, 1 ounce of mandrake-root, 5 drachms of salanum, 7 drachms of
poppy-seed, 1/2 ounce of assafoetida, and 1/2 ounce of parsley. As
soon as the saucepan containing these ingredients began to boil Hamar
threw into it two adders' heads, three toads and a centipede.
"Where on earth did you get all those horrors?" Curtis asked,
shrinking away from the bag which had held them.
"Here," Hamar said laconically. "It's extraordinary what a lot of
nasty things there are amid so much apparent beauty. I say apparent,
because Nature is a champion faker. You have only to rake about in
these bushes and you'll find snakes galore, whilst under pretty nearly
every stone are centipedes. Like both of you, who never by any chance
poke your noses outside the city, I fancied snakes and centipedes were
confined to the prairies. But I know better now. Besides, where do you
think I found the toads? Why, in the cellars under Meidlers'!"
"What, our late governor's?" Kelson cried.
Hamar nodded. "Yes!" he said; "under the very spot where we used to
sit. The water's a foot deep in that cellar, and if there are as many
toads in the cellars of the other houses in the block, then Sacramento
Street has a corner in them.
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