In "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment," how is the small table described?

The answer to this question comes immediately after quite
a thorough description of Dr. Heidegger's room. We are presented with the dominating
portrait of Sylvia Ward and the sad tale that accompanies it and other more unsavoury
aspects of his room, such as a skeleton, that clearly place Dr. Heidegger as a man of
knowledge and experimentation. Then we are given a description of this small table,
which has clearly been set up for the experiment that Dr. Heidegger wishes to
perform:

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 splendour was
reflected from it on the ashen visages of the five old people who sat around. Four
champagne glasses were also on the
table.

Note how the beauty of
the vase points towards the value of the liquid contained within it. Also it is clear
that the description of the sunlight falling on the vase likewise emphasises its
importance, foreshadowing its effect as a "mild splendour" from the vase is reflected
onto the withered faces of the guests and Dr. Heidegger.