“Is it possible to – do such a – thing?” Vada whispered.
“Of course not!” Pierre averred positively, “but when Satanists are drugged and have also drunk a great deal of wine, they have hallucinations and they see many of the things they wish to see.”
“They were – calling for the – Devil,” Vada said with a tremor in her voice.
“You should not have been conscious,” Pierre said. “How was that?”
“The wine they – made me – drink tasted so – horrible and I was – afraid of – drinking too much,” Vada explained.
She paused and then speaking slowly and with difficulty told him how she had deceived the Marquis and his friends into thinking that she had drunk all the wine by pretending that she had seen a bird on the other side of the room.
“I spilt more of the – wine onto the – floor,” she went
