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Learn more- Herbert Jurtel, a celebrated professor of chemistry, is experimenting in his private laboratory when his friend, Robert Osran, a medical student at the professor's hospital, draws Jurtel's attention to a paragraph appearing in a paper announcing that one of the great men of the scientific world will shortly publish a wonderful discovery. The professor, in answer to Robert queries, shows his friend a small bottle of liquid, which he states is the discovery referred to. Robert is invited to dinner, and the Professor happening to go out of the room, he conceives the idea of stealing the precious bottle and substituting for it another. The professor returns, and the two go out to meet Mabel, the host's wife. She takes a great interest in the young student, and it is easy to see the attraction is mutual. Dinner over, Mabel shows her costume for an upcoming masked ball, and Robert, learning the date, makes up his mind to be present. The next day, the professor shows Mabel an announcement in the paper which now says definitely that he is the scientist about to demonstrate his discovery. Robert is announced, and while left alone, Mabel makes violent love to him. He responds, and the two plot to go to the ball together. At his home, the medical student writes a note purporting to come from a woman friend and asking if Mabel will attend the ball in the company of her husband. Mabel shows this communication to her husband, who, believing his wife to be in safe company, readily gives her permission to go. On the evening of the ball, Mabel dresses and departs. Thinking about his wife, of whom he is passionately fond, the professor wanders to her rooms. Sinking into a convenient chair, he idly picks up and scans the letter inviting Mabel to the ball, and which his wife has left out by accident. Something in the writing strikes him as familiar, and concentrating his attention on the note, he is horrified to find that the note has been penned by Robert. He too attends the ball, and sees his wife and friend together. In his haste to avoid detection, he drops his handkerchief, which is found by Mabel, who recognizes her husband has been there. The professor returns home and endures all the agony of silent suffering. The following morning Robert is late at the hospital and the Professor finds on his table the bottle containing the discovery. This he annexes. Some time after, when Robert calls at his house, the professor shows him the bottle and accuses him of theft. Robert proves his innocence by drawing the professor's attention to the substituted bottle on his rack. Mabel thinks now is the time to ascertain her husband's movements on the previous evening, and producing the handkerchief, with an affection of slyness, remarks "So you also went to the ball." The wronged man gazes at his wife and then turning on his heel, passes out. Mabel would fain go after him, but she is arrested by Robert, who bids her call on him that afternoon. She does so soon after Robert has learned from the paper that the professor at four o'clock that day is to demonstrate the discovering. Mabel is temporarily left alone by Robert, and wandering about his rooms, discovers the professor's bottle hidden in a book. Rightly grasping the true state of affairs, she denounces Robert as a thief, and hurries off to her husband's house. Here a number of learned scientists have gathered for the demonstration by the professor. The latter takes down the fateful bottle, becomes suspicious as to its contents, and tests it. The truth is soon known, and believing his beloved wife to be in league against him, he mixes an explosive solution and applies a match. The gathered scientists are startled by a terrific crash, and rushing into the laboratory, find the professor laying on the floor with his life swiftly ebbing away. Soon after this, the wife arrives home, and with a growing presentiment of disaster, rushes into the laboratory. There she finds her husband and seeing that he requires something, offers him the bottle. But he pushes this away, and with that action closes his eyes forever. The day of the funeral arrives and in accordance with his oft-expressed wish, his body is prepared for cremation. Mabel enters the actual cremating room, where the huge casket containing the mortal remains of her husband lies on the runners ready to enter the fire. The furnace door is swung open, the coffin is pushed into the seething flames and the last page of Herbert Jurtel's history has been written. Mabel drags the phial from her clothing, and swinging her arm, attempts to bury the discovery with its master. Too late, the door is shut as Robert steps into the room. Turning to him, Mabel forces the bottle into his hands, telling him he may keep it, then stepping up to the examination door, she peers into the furnace. What she sees may never be written, for blinded with the glare, she drops to the floor motionless. Robert stands for a time watching her, then with a curse at what his actions has resulted in, he dashes the bottle to the ground so that it's contents are decimated, and turning on his heel, passes out to stifle his conscious as best he can.
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