vervain! "Monsieur," said a soft but thrilling voice from the doorway, "will you return to me my mask, which I dropped in this room a few moments ago ?" As he raised his head the woman stopped, transfixed.
"Diane ?" leaped from the Chevalier's lips.

He caught the back of a chair to steady himself.

He was mad, he knew he was mad; it had come at last, this loosing of reason..