On the summer afternoon of our tale a small round table, as black as ebony, stood in the centre of the room, sustaining a cut-glass vase of beautiful form and elaborate workmanship. The sunshine came through the window, between the heavy festoons of two faded damask curtains, and fell directly across this vase; so that a mild splendor was reflected from it on the ashen visages of the five old people who sat around. Four champagne glasses were also on the table.
To give the old friends the magical water.
Answer: Option A.
<u>Explanation:</u>
The story "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" which has been written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, shows the five friends, who are experimenting on a water that can make these friends young again. This regaining of youth is to be tested on the four friends by the host and the doctor.
Based on the excerpt from the story, we can see that the doctor had called them to test the water of the fountain of youth. It is his intention of doing his real experiment on the old friends, to give them the magical water. He tried it first, on a dried rose before doing it on them own, then they immediately asked for it to be given to them. He had called his old friends so that he will be able to test out his experiment on them, and they sure did help him.
