As for thinking that any one had given her poison intentionally, it was utterly and entirely absurd.
Matilde refused to entertain the idea even for a moment, and presently she went on to speak of other things, and soon fell back upon making plans for the winter.

She did not allow the conversation to flag, for she feared lest Veronica should be tired of sitting in her room and suddenly propose to go somewhere else, just for the sake of the change.
It was essential to Matilde's plan that Elettra should bring the things for tea.
She did not allow herself to think, and she succeeded in staving off silence.

Now that the deed was so near, it seemed unreal.

Once she touched her handkerchief in her pocket, and felt the three prepared lumps concealed in it, to assure herself that she was not imagining all she had done, and meant to do.

Then, suddenly, she felt that her brow was moist, a thing she could hardly remember having noticed before in her life.