Bickley took a pocket thermometer which he had at hand and glanced at it.

It marked a temperature of 82 degrees in the sepulchre.

Having noted this, he thrust it into the coffin between the crystal wall and its occupant.

Then we went out and waited a little while to give the odours time to dissipate, for they made the head reel.
After five minutes or so we returned and examined the thermometer.

It had risen to 98 degrees, the natural temperature of the human body.
"What do you make of that if the man is dead ?" he whispered.
I shook my head, and as we had agreed, set to helping him to lift the body from the coffin.