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diff --git a/36189-h/36189-h.htm b/36189-h/36189-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..81362e7 --- /dev/null +++ b/36189-h/36189-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6448 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<!-- $Id: header.txt 236 2009-12-07 18:57:00Z vlsimpson $ --> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of In Search of a Son, by William Shepard Walsh. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +.sub {font-size: .8em;} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.tdr {text-align: right;} + +blockquote { + margin: auto; + width: 40em; +} + +ins {text-decoration: none;} + +.bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + +.bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + +.bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + +.br {border-right: solid 2px;} + +.center {text-align: center;} +.right {text-align: right; padding-right: 2em;} +.indent {text-align: left; padding-left: 2em;} +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.figleft { + float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 1em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +.figright { + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-left: 1em; + margin-bottom: + 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 0; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of In Search of a Son, by William Shepard Walsh + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: In Search of a Son + +Author: William Shepard Walsh + +Release Date: May 22, 2011 [EBook #36189] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN SEARCH OF A SON *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Stephanie Kovalchik and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div> + +<br /> +<br /> + + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_1_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_1_low.jpg" alt="Illustration"/> + </a> +</div> + + +<br /> +<br /> + +<h1>In Search of a Son.</h1> + +<h3>BY</h3><br /> + +<h3>UNCLE LAWRENCE,</h3> + +<h3>AUTHOR OF "YOUNG FOLKS' WHYS AND WHEREFORES," ETC.</h3><br /> + +<div class="figcenter"> + <a href="images/illustration_2_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_2_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<h3>PHILADELPHIA:</h3> + +<h3>J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY.</h3> + +<h3>1890.</h3><br /> + + + +<h4>Copyright, 1889, by J. B. Lippincott Company</h4>. + +<br /> +<br /> + + +<h2>TABLE OF CONTENTS</h2> + +<table summary="Contents"> +<tr> +<td class="tdr"> </td> + +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><span class="smcap">Page</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER I.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Despatch</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">9</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER II.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Two Friends</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">18</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER III.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Monsieur Roger</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">26</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER IV.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Monsieur Roger's Story</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">32</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER V.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Fire at Sea</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">39</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER VI.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Miss Miette's Fortune</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">46</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER VII.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Vacation</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">53</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER VIII.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Drawing Lesson</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">59</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER IX.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Tower of Heurtebize</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">66</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER X.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Physical Science</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">75</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XI.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Smoke Which Falls</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">84</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XII.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">At the Centre of the Earth</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">92</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XIII.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Why Lead is Heavier than Cork</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">99</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XIV.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Air-Pump</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">104</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XV.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Drops of Rain and Hammer of Water</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">114</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XVI.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Amusing Physics</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">119</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XVII.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Why the Moon does not Fall</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">127</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XVIII.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Mysterious Resemblance</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">138</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XIX.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Fixed Idea</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">146</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XX.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Fire</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XX">152</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XXI.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Saved</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">161</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XXII.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">George! George!</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXII">167</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XXIII.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Proof?</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII">178</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XXIV.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Air and the Lungs</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIV">184</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XXV.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Oxygen</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXV">190</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XXVI.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Why Water Puts out Fire</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVI">200</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XXVII.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Paul or George?</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVII">214</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">CHAPTER XXVIII.</td> + +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">My Father</span></td> +<td class="tdl"> </td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVIII">222</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<br/> +<br/> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>IN SEARCH OF A SON.</h2> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a><br/> +<span class="sub">THE DESPATCH.</span></h2> + + +<p>In the great silence of the +fields a far-off clock struck seven. +The sun, an August sun, had been up for some time, lighting +up and warming the left wing of the old French château. The +tall old chestnut-trees of the park threw the greater part of the right +wing into the shade, and in this pleasant shade was placed a bench +of green wood, chairs, and a stone table.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_3_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_3_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>The door of the château opened, and a gentleman lightly +descended the threshold. He was in his slippers and dressing-robe, +and under the dressing-robe you could see his night-gown. +After having thrown a satisfied look upon the beauty of nature, he +approached the green seat, and seated himself before the stone +table. An old servant came up and said,—</p> + +<p>"What will you take this morning, sir?"</p> + +<p>And as the gentleman, who did not seem to be hungry, was +thinking what he wanted, the servant added,—</p> + +<p>"Coffee, soup, tea?"</p> + +<p>"No," said the gentleman; "give me a little vermouth and +seltzer water."</p> + +<p>The servant retired, and soon returned with a tray containing +the order. The gentleman poured out a little vermouth and seltzer +water, then rolled a cigarette, lighted it, and, leaning back upon the +rounded seat of the green bench, looked with pleasure at the lovely +scene around him. On the left, in a small lake framed in the green +lawn, was reflected one wing of the old château, as in a mirror. +The bricks, whose colors were lighted up by the sun, seemed to be +burning in the midst of the water. The large lawn began at the +end of a gravelled walk, and seemed to be without limit, for the +park merged into cultivated ground, and verdant hills rose over +hills. There was not a cloud in the sky.</p> + +<p>The gentleman, after gazing for some minutes around him, +got up and opened the door of the château. He called out, +"Peter!" in a subdued voice, fearing, no doubt, to waken some +sleeper.</p> + +<p>The servant ran out at once.</p> + +<p>"Well, Peter," said the gentleman, "have the papers come?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir; they have not yet come. That surprises me. If you +wish, sir, I will go and meet the postman."</p> + +<p>And Peter was soon lost to sight in a little shady alley which +descended into the high-road. In a few moments he reappeared, +followed by a man.</p> + +<p>"Sir," said he, "I did not meet the letter-carrier; but here is a +man with a telegraphic despatch."</p> + +<p>The man advanced, and, feeling in a bag suspended at his side, +he said,—</p> + +<p>"Monsieur Dalize, I believe?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my friend."</p> + +<p>"Well, here is a telegram for you which arrived at Sens +last night."</p> + +<p>"A telegram?" said Monsieur Dalize, knitting his brows, his +eyes showing that he was slightly surprised, and almost displeased, +as if he had learned that unexpected news was more often bad +news than good. Nevertheless, he took the paper, unfolded it, +and looked at once at the signature.</p> + +<p>"Ah, from Roger," he said to himself.</p> + +<p>And then he began to read the few lines of the telegram. As +he read, his face brightened, surprise followed uneasiness, and +then a great joy took the place of discontent. He said to the +man,—</p> + +<p>"You can carry back an answer, can you not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"Well, Peter, bring me pen and ink at once."</p> + +<p>Peter brought pen, ink, and paper, and Monsieur Dalize wrote +his telegram. He gave it to the man, and, feeling through his +pockets, pulled out a louis.</p> + +<p>"Here, my good fellow," said he: "that will pay for the telegram +and will pay you for your trouble."</p> + +<p>The man looked at the coin in the hollow of his hand in an +embarrassed way, fearing that he had not exactly understood.</p> + +<p>"Come, now,—run," said Monsieur Dalize; "good news such +as you have brought me cannot be paid for too dearly; only +hurry."</p> + +<p>"Ah, yes, sir, I will hurry," said the man; "and thank you very +much, thank you very much."</p> + +<p>And, in leaving, he said to himself, as he squeezed the money +in his hand,—</p> + +<p>"I should be very glad to carry to him every day good news +at such a price as that."</p> + +<p>When he was alone, Monsieur Dalize reread the welcome despatch. +Then he turned around, and looked towards a window +on the second floor of the château, whose blinds were not yet +opened. From this window his looks travelled back to the telegram, +which seemed to rejoice his heart and to give him cause for +thought. He was disturbed in his reverie by the noise of two blinds +opening against the wall. He rose hastily, and could not withhold +the exclamation,—</p> + +<p>"At last!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, my friend," said the voice of a lady, in good-natured tones. +"Are you reproaching me for waking up too late?"</p> + +<p>"It is no reproach at all, my dear wife," said Monsieur Dalize, +"as you were not well yesterday evening."</p> + +<p>"Ah, but this morning I am entirely well," said Madame Dalize, +resting her elbows on the sill of the window.</p> + +<p>"So much the better," cried Mr. Dalize, joyfully, "and again +so much the better."</p> + +<p>"What light-heartedness!" said Madame Dalize, smiling.</p> + +<p>"That is because I am happy, do you know, very happy."</p> + +<p>"And the cause of this joy?"</p> + +<p>"It all lies in this little bit of paper," answered Monsieur Dalize, +pointing to the telegram towards the window.</p> + +<p>"And what does this paper say?"</p> + +<p>"It says,—now listen,—it says that my old friend, my best friend, +has returned to France, and that in a few hours he will be here +with us."</p> + +<p>Madame Dalize was silent for an instant, then, suddenly remembering, +she said,—</p> + +<p>"Roger,—are you speaking of Roger?"</p> + +<p>"The same."</p> + +<p>"Ah, my friend," said Madame Dalize, "now I understand +the joy you expressed." Then she added, as she closed the window, +"I will dress myself and be down in a moment."</p> + +<p>Hardly had the window of Madame Dalize's room closed than +a little girl of some ten years, with a bright and pretty face +surrounded by black curly hair, came in sight from behind the +château. As she caught sight of Monsieur Dalize, she ran towards +him.</p> + +<p>"Good-morning, papa," she said, throwing herself into his open +arms.</p> + +<p>"Good-morning, my child," said Monsieur Dalize, taking the +little girl upon his knees and kissing her over and over again.</p> + +<p>"Ah, papa," said the child, "you seem very happy this morning."</p> + +<p>"And you have noticed that too, Miette?"</p> + +<p>"Why, of course, papa; any one can see that in your face."</p> + +<p>"Well, I am very happy."</p> + +<p>Miss Mariette Dalize, who was familiarly called Miette, for short, +looked at her father without saying anything, awaiting an explanation. +Monsieur Dalize understood her silence.</p> + +<p>"You want to know what it is that makes me so happy?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, papa."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, it is because I am going to-day to see one of my +friends,—my oldest friend, my most faithful friend,—whom I have +not seen for ten long years."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_4_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_4_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize stopped for a moment.</p> + +<p>"Indeed," he continued, "you cannot understand what I feel, +my dear little Miette."</p> + +<p>"And why not, papa?"</p> + +<p>"Because you do not know the man of whom I speak."</p> + +<p>Miette looked at her father, and said, in a serious tone,—</p> + +<p>"You say that I don't know your best friend. Come! is it not +Monsieur Roger?"</p> + +<p>It was now the father's turn to look at his child, and, with +pleased surprise, he said,—</p> + +<p>"What? You know?"</p> + +<p>"Why, papa, I have so often heard you talk to mamma of your +friend Roger that I could not be mistaken."</p> + +<p>"That is true; you are right."</p> + +<p>"Then," continued Miss Miette, "it is Mr. Roger who is going +to arrive here?"</p> + +<p>"It is he," said Monsieur Dalize, joyously.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_5_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_5_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>But Miss Miette did not share her +father's joy. She was silent for a moment, +as if seeking to remember something +very important, then she lowered her +eyes, and murmured, sadly,—</p> + +<p>"The poor gentleman."</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a><br /><span class="sub">TWO FRIENDS.</span></h2> + + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_6_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_6_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>The château of Sainte-Gemme, which was some miles from the +village of Sens, had belonged to Monsieur Dalize for some years. +It was in this old château, which had often been restored, but which +still preserved its dignified appearance, that Monsieur Dalize and +his family had come to pass the summer.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize had become the owner of the property of Sainte-Gemme +on his retirement from business. He came out at the +beginning of every May, and did not return to Paris until November. +During August and September the family was complete, for then +it included Albert Dalize, who was on vacation from college. With +his wife and his children, Albert and Mariette, Monsieur Dalize +was happy, but sometimes there was a cloud upon this happiness. +The absence of a friend with whom Monsieur Dalize had been +brought up, and the terrible sorrows which this friend had experienced, +cast an occasional gloom over the heart of the owner of +Sainte-Gemme. This friend was called Roger La Morlière. In +the Dalize family he was called simply Roger. He was a distinguished +chemist. At the beginning of his life he had been employed +by a manufacturer of chemicals in Saint-Denis, and the close +neighborhood to Paris enabled him frequently to see his friend +Dalize, who had succeeded his father in a banking-house. Later, +some flattering offers had drawn him off to Northern France, to +the town of Lille. In this city Roger had found a charming young +girl, whom he loved and whose hand he asked in marriage. Monsieur +Dalize was one of the witnesses to this marriage, which seemed +to begin most happily, although neither party was wealthy. Monsieur +Dalize had already been married at this time, and husband and wife +had gone to Lille to be present at the union of their friend Roger. +Then a terrible catastrophe had occurred. Roger had left France +and gone to America. Ten years had now passed. The two +friends wrote each other frequently. Monsieur Dalize's letters were +full of kindly counsels, of encouragement, of consolation. Roger's, +though they were affectionate, showed that he was tired of life, +that his heart was in despair.</p> + +<p>Still, Monsieur Dalize, in receiving the telegram which announced +the return of this well-beloved friend, had only thought of the joy +of seeing him again. The idea that this friend, whom he had known +once so happy, would return to him broken by grief had not at first +presented itself to his mind. Now he began to reflect. An overwhelming +sorrow had fallen upon the man, and for ten years he +had shrouded himself in the remembrance of this sorrow. What +great changes must he have gone through! how different he would +look from the Roger he had known!</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize thought over these things, full of anxiety, his +eyes fixed upon the shaded alley in front of him.</p> + +<p>Miette had softly slipped down from her father's knees, and, +seating herself by his side upon the bench, she remained silent, +knowing that she had better say nothing at such a time.</p> + +<p>Light steps crunched the gravel, and Madame Dalize approached.</p> + +<p>Miss Miette had seen her mother coming, but Monsieur Dalize +had seen nothing and heard nothing.</p> + +<p>In great astonishment Madame Dalize asked, addressing herself +rather to her daughter than to her husband,—</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?"</p> + +<p>Miss Miette made a slight motion, as if to say that she had +better not answer; but this time Monsieur Dalize had heard.</p> + +<p>He lifted sad eyes to his wife's face.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_7_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_7_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"Now, where has all the joy of the morning fled, my friend?" +asked Madame Dalize. "And why this sudden sadness?"</p> + +<p>"Because this child"—and Monsieur Dalize passed his hand +through his daughter's thick curls—"has reminded me of the +sorrows of Roger."</p> + +<p>"Miette?" demanded Madame Dalize. "What has she said +to you?"</p> + +<p>"She simply said, when I spoke to her of Roger, 'The poor +gentleman.' And she was right,—the poor gentleman, poor +Roger."</p> + +<p>"Undoubtedly," answered Madame Dalize; "but ten years have +passed since that terrible day, and time heals many wounds."</p> + +<p>"That is true; but I know Roger, and I know that he has +forgotten nothing."</p> + +<p>"Of course, forgetfulness would not be easy to him over +there, in that long, solitary exile; but once he has returned here +to us, near his family, his wounds will have a chance to heal; +and, in any case," added Madame Dalize, taking her husband's +hand, "he will have at hand two doctors who are profoundly +devoted."</p> + +<p>"Yes, my dear wife, you are right; and if he can be cured, we +will know how to cure him."</p> + +<p>Madame Dalize took the telegram from her husband's hands, +and read this:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p><i>"Monsieur Dalize</i>, Château de Sainte-Gemme, at Sens:</p> + +<p class="indent"><i>Friend</i>,—I am on my way home. Learn at Paris that you +are at Sainte-Gemme. May I come there at once?"</p> + + +<p class="right"><i>"Roger."</i></p> + +</blockquote> + +<p>"And you answered him?"</p> + +<p>"I answered, 'We are awaiting you with the utmost impatience. +Take the first train.'"</p> + +<p>"Will that first train be the eleven-o'clock train?"</p> + +<p>"No; I think that Roger will not be able to take the express. +The man with the telegram will not have reached Sens soon enough, +even if he hurried, as he promised he would. Then, the time taken +to send the despatch, to receive it in Paris, and to take it to Roger's +address would make it more than eleven. So our friend will have +to take the next train; and you cannot count upon his being here +before five o'clock."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" cried Miss Miette, in a disappointed tone.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter, my child?" asked Monsieur Dalize.</p> + +<p>"Why, I think——"</p> + +<p>"What do you think?"</p> + +<p>"Well, papa," Miss Miette at last said, "I think that the railroads +and the telegrams are far too slow."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize could not suppress a smile at hearing this +exclamation. He turned to his wife, and said,—</p> + +<p>"See, how hurried is this younger generation. They think +that steam and electricity are too slow."</p> + +<p>And, turning around to his daughter, he continued,—</p> + +<p>"What would you like to have?"</p> + +<p>"Why," answered the girl, "I would like to have Monsieur +Roger here at once."</p> + +<p>Her wish was to be fulfilled sooner than she herself could foresee.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_8_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_8_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a><br /><span class="sub">MONSIEUR ROGER.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_9_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_9_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + + +<p>Monsieur and Madame Dalize went back into the château, and +soon reappeared in walking-costumes. Miette, who was playing +in the shadows of the great chestnut-trees, looked up in surprise.</p> + +<p>"You are going out walking without me?" said she.</p> + +<p>"No, my child," answered Madame Dalize, "we are not going +out to take a walk at all; but we have to go and make our +excuses to Monsieur and Madame Sylvestre at the farm, because +we shall not be able to dine with them this evening, as we had +agreed."</p> + +<p>"Take me with you," said Miette.</p> + +<p>"No; the road is too long and too fatiguing for your little +legs."</p> + +<p>"Are you going on foot?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly," said Monsieur Dalize. "We must keep the horses +fresh to send them down to meet Roger at the station."</p> + +<p>Miss Miette could not help respecting so good a reason, and +she resisted no longer.</p> + +<p>When left alone, she began seriously to wonder what she should +do during the absence of her parents, which would certainly last +over an hour. An idea came to her. She went into the château, +passed into the drawing-room, took down a large album of photographs +which was on the table, and carried it into her room. She +did not have to search long. On the first page was the portrait +of her mother, on the next was that of herself, Miette, and that of +her brother Albert. The third page contained two portraits of men. +One of these portraits was that of her father, the other was evidently +the one that she was in search of, for she looked at it attentively.</p> + +<p>"It was a long time ago," she said to herself, "that this photograph +was made,—ten years ago; but I am sure that I shall +recognize Monsieur Roger all the same when he returns."</p> + +<p>At this very moment Miette heard the sound of a carriage some +distance off. Surely the carriage was driving through the park. +She listened with all her ears. Soon the gravelled road leading +up to the château was crunched under the wheels of the carriage. +Miette then saw an old-fashioned cab, which evidently had been +hired at some hotel in Sens. The cab stopped before the threshold. +Miette could not see so far from her window. She left the album +upon her table, and ran down-stairs, full of curiosity. In the vestibule +she met old Peter, and asked him who it was.</p> + +<p>"It is a gentleman whom I don't know," said Peter.</p> + +<p>"Where is he?"</p> + +<p>"I asked him into the parlor."</p> + +<p>Miette approached lightly on tiptoe to the door of the parlor, +which was open, wishing to see without being seen. She expected +she would find in this visitor some country neighbor. The gentleman +was standing, looking out of the glass windows.</p> + +<p>From where she was Miette could see his profile. She made +a gesture, as if to say, "I don't know him;" and she was going +to withdraw as slowly as possible, with her curiosity unsatisfied, +when the gentleman turned around. Miette now saw him directly +in front of her in the full light. His beard and his hair were gray, +his forehead was lightly wrinkled on the temples, a sombre expression +saddened his features. His dress was elegant. He walked a +few steps in the parlor, coming towards the door, but he had not +yet seen Miette. In her great surprise she had quickly drawn +herself back, but she still followed the visitor with her eyes. At +first she had doubted now she was sure; she could not be mistaken. +When the gentleman had reached the middle of the parlor, Miette +could contain herself no longer. She showed herself in the doorway +and advanced towards the visitor. He stopped, surprised at +this pretty apparition. Miette came up to him and looked him in +the eyes. Then, entirely convinced, holding out her arms towards +the visitor, she said, softly,—</p> + +<p>"Monsieur Roger!"</p> + +<p>The gentleman in his turn looked with surprise at the pretty +little girl who had saluted him by name. He cast a glance towards +the door, and, seeing that she was alone, more surprised than ever, +he looked at her long and silently.</p> + +<p>Miette, abashed by this scrutiny, drew back a little, and said, +with hesitation,—</p> + +<p>"Tell me: you are surely Monsieur Roger?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I am indeed Monsieur Roger," said the visitor, at last, +in a voice full of emotion. And, with a kindly smile, he added, +"How did you come to recognize me, Miss Miette?"</p> + +<p>Hearing her own name pronounced in this unexpected manner, +Miss Miette was struck dumb with astonishment. At the end of +a minute, she stammered,—</p> + +<p>"Why, sir, you know me, then, also?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my child; I have known and loved you for a long +time."</p> + +<p>And Monsieur Roger caught Miette up in his arms and kissed +her tenderly.</p> + +<p>"Yes," he continued, "I know you, my dear child. Your +father has often spoken of you in his letters; and has he not sent +me also several of your photographs when I asked for them?"</p> + +<p>"Why, that is funny!" cried Miette.</p> + +<p>But she suddenly felt that the word was not dignified enough.</p> + +<p>"That is very strange," she said: "for I, too, recognized you +from your photograph; and it was only five minutes ago, at the +very moment when you arrived, that I was looking at it, up-stairs +in my room. Shall I go up and find the album?"</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger held her back.</p> + +<p>"No, my child," said he, "remain here by me, and tell me +something about your father and your mother."</p> + +<p>Miette looked up at the clock.</p> + +<p>"Papa and mamma may return at any moment. They will talk +to you themselves a great deal better than I can. All that I can +tell you is that they are going to be very, very glad; but they did +not expect you until the evening. How does it happen that you +are here already?"</p> + +<p>"Because I took the first train,—the 6.30."</p> + +<p>"But your telegram?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I sent a despatch last night on arriving at Paris, but I +did not have the patience to wait for an answer. I departed, +hoping they would receive me anyway with pleasure; and I already +see that I was not mistaken."</p> + +<p>"No, Monsieur Roger," answered Miette, "you were not mistaken. +You are going to be very happy here, very happy. There, +now! I see papa and mamma returning."</p> + +<p>The door of the vestibule had just been opened.</p> + +<p>They could see Peter exchanging some words with his master +and mistress. Then hurried steps were heard, and in a moment +Monsieur Dalize was in the arms of his friend Roger. Miss Miette, +who had taken her mamma by the arm, obliged her to bend down, +and said in her ear,—</p> + +<p>"I love him already, our friend Roger."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_10_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_10_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a><br /><span class="sub">MONSIEUR ROGER'S STORY.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_11_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_11_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>The evening had come, the evening of that happy day when +the two friends, after ten years of absence, had come together +again. Monsieur Roger had known from the first that he would +find loving and faithful hearts just as he had left them. They +were all sitting, after dinner, in a large vestibule, whose windows, +this beautiful evening in autumn, opened out upon the sleeping +park. For some moments the conversation had fallen into an +embarrassing silence. Every one looked at Monsieur Roger. +They thought that he might speak, that he might recount the +terrible event which had broken his life; but they did not like to +ask him anything about it. Monsieur Roger was looking at the +star-sprinkled sky, and seemed to be dreaming, but in his deeper +self he had guessed the thoughts of his friends and understood he +ought to speak. He passed his hand over his forehead to chase +away a painful impression, and with a resolute, but low and soft +voice, he said,—</p> + +<p>"I see, my friends, my dear friends, I see that you expect from +me the story of my sorrow."</p> + +<p>Monsieur and Madame Dalize made a sight gesture of negation.</p> + +<p>"Yes," continued Monsieur Roger, "I know very well that you +do not wish it through idle curiosity, that you fear to reawaken my +griefs; but to whom can I tell my story, if not to you? I owe it +to you as a sacred debt, and, if I held my tongue, it seems to me +a dark spot would come upon our friendship. You know what +a lovely and charming wife I married. Her only fault—a fault only +in the eyes of the world—was that she was poor. I had the same +fault. When my son George came into the world I suddenly was +filled with new ambitions. I wished, both for his sake and for his +mother's, to amass wealth, and I worked feverishly and continuously +in my laboratory. I had a problem before me, and at last I +succeeded in solving it. I had discovered a new process for treating +silver ores. Fear nothing: I am not going to enter into technical +details; but it is necessary that I should explain to you the +reason which made me"—here Monsieur paused, and then continued, +with profound sadness—"which made <i>us</i> go to America. Silver +ores in most of the mines of North America offer very complex combinations +in the sulphur, bromide, chloride of lime, and iodine, which +I found mixed up with the precious metal,—that is to say, with the +silver. It is necessary to free the silver from all these various substances. +Now, the known processes had not succeeded in freeing +the silver in all its purity. There was always a certain quantity +of the silver which remained alloyed with foreign matters, and that +much silver was consequently lost. The processes which I had +discovered made it possible to obtain the entire quantity of silver +contained in the ore. Not a fraction of the precious metal escaped. +An English company owning some silver-mines in Texas heard of +my discovery, and made me an offer. I was to go to Texas for +ten years. The enterprise was to be at my own risk, but they +would give me ten per cent on all the ore that I saved. I felt +certain to succeed. My wife, full of faith in me, urged me to +accept. What were we risking? A modest situation in a chemical +laboratory, which I should always be able to obtain again. Over +there on the other side of the Atlantic there were millions in prospect; +and if I did not succeed from the beginning, my wife, who +drew and painted better than an amateur,—as well as most painters, +indeed,—and who had excellent letters of recommendation, would +give drawing-lessons in New Orleans, where the company had its +head-quarters. We decided to go; but first we came to Paris. I +wished to say good-by to you and to show you my son, my poor +little George, of whom I was so proud, and whom you did not know. +He was then two and one-half years old. My decision had been +taken so suddenly that I could not announce it to you. When we +arrived in Paris, we learned that you were in Nice. I wrote to +you,—don't you remember?" said Monsieur Roger, turning to +Monsieur Dalize.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_12_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_12_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"Yes, my friend; I have carefully kept that letter of farewell, +full of hope and of enthusiasm."</p> + +<p>"We were going to embark from Liverpool on the steamer +which would go directly to New Orleans. The steamer was called +the Britannic."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger stopped speaking, full of emotion at this recollection. +At the end of a long silence he again took up the thread +of his story.</p> + +<p>"The first days of the journey we had had bad weather. And +I had passed them almost entirely in our state-room with my poor +wife and my little boy, who were very sea-sick. On the tenth day +(it was the 14th of December) the weather cleared up, and, notwithstanding +a brisk wind from the north-east, we were on the deck +after dinner. The night had come; the stars were already out, +though every now and then hidden under clouds high up in the +sky, which fled quickly out of sight. We were in the archipelago +of Bahama, not far from Florida.</p> + +<p>"'One day more and we shall be in port,' I said to my wife +and to George, pointing in the direction of New Orleans.</p> + +<p>"My wife, full of hope,—too full, alas! poor girl,—said to me, +with a smile, as she pointed to George,—</p> + +<p>"'And this fortune that we have come so far to find, but +which we shall conquer without doubt, this fortune will all be for +this little gentleman.'</p> + +<p>"George, whom I had just taken upon my knees, guessed that +we were speaking of him, and he threw his little arms around +my neck and touched my face with his lips."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_13_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_13_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a><br /><span class="sub">FIRE AT SEA.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_14_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_14_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>"At this moment, a moment that I shall never forget, I heard +a sudden crackling noise, strange and unexpected, coming from a +point seemingly close to me. I turned around and saw nothing. +Nevertheless, I still heard that sound in my ears. It was a strange +sound. One might have thought that an immense punch had been +lighted in the interior of the ship, and that the liquid, stirred up +by invisible hands, was tossed up and down, hissing and crackling. +The quick movement of my head had arrested George in the +midst of his caresses. Now he looked up at me with astonished +eyes. The uneasiness which I felt in spite of the absence of any +cause must have appeared upon my face, for my wife, standing +beside me, leaned over to ask, in a subdued voice,—</p> + +<p>"'What is the matter?'</p> + +<p>"I think I answered, 'Nothing.' But my mind had dwelt upon +an awful danger,—that danger of which the most hardened seamen +speak with a beating heart,—fire at sea. Alas! my fears were to +be realized. From one of the hatches there suddenly leaped up +a tongue of flame. At the same instant we heard the awful +cry, 'Fire!' To add to our distress, the wind had increased, +and had become so violent that it fanned the flames with terrible +rapidity, and had enveloped the state-rooms in the rear, +whence the passengers were running, trembling and crying. In +a few minutes the back of the ship was all on fire. My wife +had snatched George from my arms, and held him closely against +her breast, ready to save him or die with him. The captain, +in the midst of the panic of the passengers, gave his orders. +The boats were being lowered into the sea,—those at least +which remained, for two had already been attacked by the fire. +Accident threw the captain between me and my wife at the +very moment when he was crying out to his men to allow none +but the women and children in the boats. He recognized me. +I had been introduced to him by a common friend, and he +said, in a voice choked with emotion, pointing to my wife and +my son,—</p> + +<p>"'Embrace them!'</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_15_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_15_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_16_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_16_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"Then he tore them both from my arms and pushed and +carried them to the last boat, which was already too full. Night +had come. With the rise of the wind, +clouds had collected, obscuring the +sky. By the light of the fire I saw +for the last time—yes, for the last +time—my wife and my child in the boat, shaken by an angry sea. +Both were looking towards me. Did they see me also for the +last time? And in my agony I cried out, 'George! George!' with +a voice so loud that my son must surely have heard that last +cry. Yes, he must have heard it. I stood rooted to the spot, +looking without seeing anything, stupefied by this hopeless sorrow, +not even feeling the intense heat of the flames, which were +coming towards me. But the captain saw me. He ran towards +me, drew me violently back, and threw me in the midst of the men, +who were beginning a determined struggle against the fire which +threatened to devour them. The instinct of life, the hope to see +again my loved ones, gave me courage. I did as the others. Some +of the passengers applied themselves to the chain; the pumps set +in motion threw masses of water into the fire; but it seemed impossible +to combat it, for it was alcohol which was burning. They +had been obliged to repack part of the hold, where there were a +number of demijohns of alcohol which the bad weather the first +days had displaced. During the work one of these vast stone +bottles had fallen and broken. As ill luck would have it, the +alcohol descended in a rain upon a lamp in the story below, and +the alcohol had taken fire. So I had not been mistaken when the +first sound had made me think of the crackling of a punch. We +worked with an energy which can only be found in moments of +this sort. The captain inspired us with confidence. At one time +we had hope. The flames had slackened, or at least we supposed +so; but in fact they had only gone another way, and reached the +powder-magazine. A violent explosion succeeded, and one of the +masts was hurled into the sea. Were we lost? No; for the +engineer had had a sudden inspiration. He had cut the pipes, +and immediately directed upon the flames torrents of steam from +the engine. A curtain of vapor lifted itself up between us and the +fire, a curtain which the flames could not penetrate. Then the +pumps worked still more effectually. We were saved."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_17_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_17_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a><br /><span class="sub">MISS MIETTE'S FORTUNE.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_18_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_18_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>"The rudder no longer guided us. What a night we passed! +We made a roll-call: how many were wanting? and the boats +which contained our wives, our children,—had those boats found a +refuge? had they reached land anywhere? The ocean was still rough, +and, notwithstanding the captain's words of hope, I was in despair,—anticipating +the sorrow that was to overwhelm me. Every one +remained on deck. At daybreak a new feeling of sadness seized +us at the sight of our steamer, deformed and blackened by the fire. +The deck for more than forty yards was nothing but a vast hole, +at the bottom of which were lying, pell-mell, half-consumed planks +and beams, windlasses blackened by fire, bits of wood, and formless +masses of metal over which the tongues of flame had passed. +Notwithstanding all this the steamer was slowly put in motion. +We were able to reach Havana. There we hoped we might hear +some news. And we did hear news,—but what news! A sailing-vessel +had found on the morrow of the catastrophe a capsized boat +on the coast of the island of Andros, where the boat had evidently +been directed. A sailor who had tied himself to the boat, and +whom they at first thought dead, was recalled to life, and told his +story of the fire. From Havana, where the sailing-vessel had +stopped, a rescuing-party was at once sent out. They found and +brought back with them the débris of boats broken against the +rocks and also many dead bodies. These were all laid out in a +large room, where the remaining passengers of the Britannic were +invited. We had to count the dead; we had to identify them. +With what agony, with what cruel heart-beats I entered the room. +I closed my eyes. I tried to persuade myself that I would not find +there the beings that were so dear to me. I wished to believe that +they had been saved, my dear ones, while my other companions +in misfortune were all crying and sobbing. At last I opened my +eyes, and, the strength of my vision being suddenly increased to a +wonderful degree, I saw that in this long line of bodies there was +no child. That was my first thought. May my poor wife forgive +me! She also was not there; but it was not long before she came. +That very evening a rescuing-party brought back her corpse with +the latest found."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger ceased speaking. He looked at his friends, +Monsieur and Madame Dalize, who were silently weeping; then +his eyes travelled to Miette. She was not crying; her look, sad but +astonished, interested, questioned Monsieur Roger. He thought, +"She cannot understand sorrow, this little girl, who has not had +any trials."</p> + +<p>And the eyes of Miette seemed to answer, "But George? +George? did they not find him?"</p> + +<p>At last Monsieur Roger understood this thought in the mind +of Miette without any necessity on her part to express it by her +lips, and, as if he were answering to a verbal question, he said, +shaking his head,—</p> + +<p>"No, they never found him."</p> + +<p>Miette expected this answer; then she too began to weep.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize repeated the last words of Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<p>"They did not find him! I do not dare to ask you, my dear +friend, if you preserve any hope."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I hope. I forced myself to hope for a long time. But +the ocean kept my child in the same way that it buried in its depths +many other victims of this catastrophe, for it was that very hope +that made me remain in America. I might have returned to France +and given up my engagements; but there I was closer to news, if +there were any; and, besides, in work, in hard labor to which I +intended to submit my body, I expected to find, if not forgetfulness, +at least that weariness which dampens the spirit. I remained ten +years in Texas, and I returned to-day without ever having forgotten +that terrible night."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_19_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_19_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>There was a silence. Then Monsieur Dalize, wishing to create +a diversion, asked,—</p> + +<p>"How does it happen that you did not announce to me beforehand +your return. It was not until I received your telegram this +morning that we learned this news which made us so happy. I had +no reason to expect that your arrival would be so sudden. Did you +not say that you were to remain another six months, and perhaps a +year, in Texas?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; and I did then think that I should be forced to prolong +my stay for some months. My contract was ended, my work was +done. I was free, but the mining-company wished to retain me. +They wanted me to sign a new contract, and to this end they +invented all sorts of pretexts to keep me where I was. As I did +not wish to go to law against the people through whom I had made +my fortune, I determined to wait, hoping that my patience would +tire them out; and that, in fact, is what happened. The company +bowed before my decision. This good news reached me on the +eve of the departure of a steamer. I did not hesitate for a moment; +I at once took ship. I might indeed have given you notice on the +way, but I wished to reserve to myself the happiness of surprising +you. It was not until I reached Paris that I decided to send you +a despatch; and even then I did not have the strength to await +your reply."</p> + +<p>"Dear Roger!" said Monsieur Dalize. "And then your process, +your discovery, succeeded entirely?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have made a fortune,—a large fortune. I have told +you that the enterprise was at my risk, but that the company +would give me ten per cent. on all the ore that I would succeed +in saving. Now, the mines of Texas used to produce four million +dollars' worth a year. Thanks to my process, they produce nearly +a million more. In ten years you can well see what was my +portion."</p> + +<p>"Splendid!" said Monsieur Dalize; "it represents a sum +of——"</p> + +<p>Madame Dalize interrupted her husband.</p> + +<p>"Miette," said she, "cannot you do that little sum for us, my +child?"</p> + +<p>Miette wiped her eyes and ceased crying. Her mother's desire +had been reached. The little girl took a pencil, and, after making +her mother repeat the question to her, put down some figures +upon a sheet of paper. After a moment she said, not without +hesitation, for the sum appeared to her enormous,—</p> + +<p>"Why! it is a million dollars that Monsieur Roger has made!"</p> + +<p>"Exactly," said Monsieur Roger; "and, my dear child, you +have, without knowing it, calculated pretty closely the fortune +which you will receive from me as your wedding portion."</p> + +<p>Monsieur and Madame Dalize looked up with astonishment. +Miette gazed at Monsieur Roger without understanding.</p> + +<p>"My dear friends," said Roger, turning to Monsieur and +Madame Dalize, "you will not refuse me the pleasure of giving +my fortune to Miss Miette. I have no one else in the world; and +does not Mariette represent both of you? Where would my money +be better placed?"</p> + +<p>And turning towards Miss Miette, he said to her,—</p> + +<p>"Yes, my child, that million will be yours on your marriage."</p> + +<p>Miette looked from her mother to her father, not knowing +whether she ought to accept, and seriously embarrassed. With a +sweet smile, Monsieur Roger added,—</p> + +<p>"And so, you see, you will be able to choose a husband that +you like."</p> + +<p>Then, quietly and without hesitation, Miss Miette said,—</p> + +<p>"It will be Paul Solange."</p> + + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_20_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_20_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a><br /><span class="sub">VACATION.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_21_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_21_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>Monsieur and Madame Dalize could not help smiling in listening +to this frank declaration of their daughter: "It will be Paul +Solange."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger smiled in his turn, and said,—</p> + +<p>"What! has Miss Miette already made her choice?"</p> + +<p>"It is an amusing bit of childishness," answered Madame +Dalize, "as you see. But, really, Miss Miette, although she teases +him often, has a very kindly feeling for our friend Paul Solange."</p> + +<p>"And who is this happy little mortal?" asked Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<p>"A friend of Albert's," said Monsieur Dalize.</p> + +<p>"Albert, your son?" said Monsieur Roger, to whom this name +and this word were always painful. Then he added,—</p> + +<p>"I should like very much to see him, your son."</p> + +<p>"You shall soon see him, my dear Roger," answered Monsieur +Dalize. "Vacation begins to-morrow morning, and to-morrow +evening Albert will be at Sainte-Gemme."</p> + +<p>"With Paul?" asked Miss Miette.</p> + +<p>"Why, certainly," said Madame Dalize, laughing; "with your +friend Paul Solange."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger asked,—</p> + +<p>"How old is Albert at present?"</p> + +<p>"In his thirteenth year," said Monsieur Dalize.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger remained silent. He was thinking that his +little George, if he had lived, would also be big now, and, like the +son of Monsieur Dalize, would be in his thirteenth year.</p> + +<p>Next day the horses were harnessed, and all four went down +to the station to meet the five-o'clock train. When Albert and +Paul jumped out from the train, and had kissed Monsieur and +Madame Dalize and Miss Miette, they looked with some surprise +at Monsieur Roger, whom they did not know.</p> + +<p>"Albert," said Monsieur Dalize, showing Monsieur Roger to +his son, "why don't you salute our friend Roger?"</p> + +<p>"Is this Monsieur Roger?" cried Albert, and the tone of his +voice showed that his father had taught him to know and to love +the man who now, with his eyes full of tears, was pressing him +to his heart.</p> + +<p>"And you too, Paul, don't you want to embrace our friend?" +said Monsieur Dalize.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_22_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_22_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"Yes, sir," answered Paul Solange, with a sad and respectful +gravity, which struck Monsieur Roger and at once called up his +affection.</p> + +<p>On the way, Monsieur Roger, who was looking with emotion +upon the two young people, but whose eyes were particularly +fixed upon Paul, said, in a low voice, to Monsieur Dalize,—</p> + +<p>"They are charming children."</p> + +<p>"And it is especially Paul whom you think charming; acknowledge +it," answered Monsieur Dalize, in the same tone.</p> + +<p>"Why should Paul please me more than Albert?" asked +Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<p>"Ah, my poor friend," replied Monsieur Dalize, "because +the father of Albert is here and the father of Paul is far away."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize was right. Monsieur Roger, without wishing +it, had felt his sympathies attracted more strongly to this child, +who was, for the time being, fatherless. He bent over to Monsieur +Dalize, and asked,—</p> + +<p>"Where is Paul's father?"</p> + +<p>"In Martinique, where he does a big business in sugar-cane +and coffee. Monsieur Solange was born in France, and he decided +that his son should come here to study."</p> + +<p>"I can understand that," replied Monsieur Roger; "but what +a sorrow this exile must cause the mother of this child!"</p> + +<p>"Paul has no mother: she died several years ago."</p> + +<p>"Poor boy!" murmured Monsieur Roger, and his growing +friendship became all the stronger.</p> + +<p>That evening, after dinner, when coffee was being served, +Miss Miette, who was in a very good humor, was seized with the +desire to tease her little friend Paul.</p> + +<p>"Say, Paul," she asked, from one end of the table to the other, +"how many prizes did you take this year?"</p> + +<p>Paul, knowing that an attack was coming, began to smile, and +answered, good-naturedly,—</p> + +<p>"You know very well, you naughty girl. You have already +asked me, and I have told you."</p> + +<p>"Ah, that is true," said Miette, with affected disdain: "you +took one prize,—one poor little prize,—bah!"</p> + +<p>Then, after a moment, she continued,—</p> + +<p>"That is not like my brother: he took several prizes, <i>he</i> did,—a +prize for Latin, a prize for history, a prize for mathematics, a +prize for physical science, and a prize for chemistry. Well, well! +and you,—you only took one prize; and that is the same one you +took last year!"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Paul, without minding his friend's teasing; "but +last year I took only the second prize, and this year I took the +first."</p> + +<p>"You have made some progress," said Miss Miette, sententiously.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger had been interested in the dialogue.</p> + +<p>"May I ask what prize Master Paul Solange has obtained?"</p> + +<p>"A poor little first prize for drawing only," answered Miette.</p> + +<p>"Ah, you love drawing?" said Monsieur Roger, looking at +Paul.</p> + +<p>But it was Miette who answered: "He loves nothing else."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize now, in his turn, took up the conversation, +and said,—</p> + +<p>"The truth is that our friend Paul has a passion for drawing. +History and Latin please him a little, but for chemistry and the +physical sciences he has no taste at all."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger smiled.</p> + +<p>"You are wrong," replied Monsieur Dalize, "to excuse by +your smile Paul's indifference to the sciences.—And as to you, Paul, +you would do well to take as your example Monsieur Roger, who +would not have his fortune if he had not known chemistry and +the physical sciences. In our day the sciences are indispensable."</p> + +<p>Miss Miette, who had shoved herself a little away from the +table, pouting slightly, heard these words, and came to the defence +of the one whom she had begun by attacking. She opened a book +full of pictures, and advanced with it to her father.</p> + +<p>"Now, papa," she said, with a look of malice in her eyes, "did +the gentleman who made that drawing have to know anything +about chemistry or the physical sciences?"</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_23_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_23_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a><br /><span class="sub">A DRAWING LESSON.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_24_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_24_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>For a moment Monsieur Dalize was disconcerted, and knew not +what to say in answer. Happily, Monsieur Roger came to his aid. +He took the book from Miette's hands, looked at the engraving, and +said, quietly,—</p> + +<p>"Why, certainly, my dear young friend, the gentleman who +made that drawing ought to know something about chemistry and +physical science."</p> + +<p>"How so?" said Miette, astonished.</p> + +<p>"Why, if he did not know the laws of physical science and of +chemistry, he has, none the less, and perhaps even without knowing +it himself, availed himself of the results of chemistry and +physical science."</p> + +<p>Miette took the book back again, looked at the drawing with +care, and said,—</p> + +<p>"Still, there are not in this drawing instruments or apparatus, +or machines such as I have seen in my brother's books."</p> + +<p>"But," answered Monsieur Roger, smiling, "it is not necessary +that you should see instruments and apparatus and machines, as you +say, to be in the presence of physical phenomena; and I assure you, +my dear child, that this drawing which is under our eyes is connected +with chemistry and physical science."</p> + +<p>Miette now looked up at Monsieur Roger to see if he was not +making fun of her. Monsieur Roger translated this dumb interrogation, +and said,—</p> + +<p>"Come, now! what does this drawing represent? Tell me +yourself."</p> + +<p>"Why, it represents two peasants,—a man and a woman,—who +have returned home wet in the storm, and who are warming and +drying themselves before the fire."</p> + +<p>"It is, in fact, exactly that."</p> + +<p>"Very well, sir?" asked Miette.</p> + +<p>And in this concise answer she meant to say, "In all that, what +do you see that is connected with chemistry or physical science?"</p> + +<p>"Very well," continued Monsieur Roger; "do you see this +light mist, this vapor, which is rising from the cloak that the peasant +is drying before the fire?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Well, that is physical science," said Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_25_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_25_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"How do you mean?" asked Miette.</p> + +<p>"I will explain in a moment. Let us continue to examine the +picture. Do you see that a portion of the wood is reduced to +ashes?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Do you also remark the flame and the smoke which are rising +up the chimney?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"That is chemistry."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said Miss Miette, at a loss for words.</p> + +<p>Every one was listening to Monsieur Roger, some of them interested, +the others amused. Miette glanced over at her friend Paul.</p> + +<p>"What do you think of that?" she asked.</p> + +<p>Paul did not care to reply. Albert wished to speak, but he +stopped at a gesture from his father. Monsieur Dalize knew that +the real interest of this scene lay with Monsieur Roger, the scientist, +who was already loved by all this little world. Miette, as +nobody else answered, returned to Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<p>"But why," she asked, "is that physical science? Why is it +chemistry?"</p> + +<p>"Because it is physical science and chemistry," said Monsieur +Roger, simply.</p> + +<p>"Oh, but you have other reasons to give us!" said Madame +Dalize, who understood what Monsieur Roger was thinking of.</p> + +<p>"Yes," added Miette.</p> + +<p>And even Paul, with unusual curiosity, nodded his head affirmatively.</p> + +<p>"The reasons will be very long to explain, and would bore +you," said Monsieur Dalize, certain that he would in this way +provoke a protest.</p> + +<p>The protest, in fact, came.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger was obliged to speak.</p> + +<p>"Well," said he, still addressing himself to Miss Miette, "this +drawing is concerned with physical science, because the peasant, in +placing his cloak before the heat of the fire, causes the phenomenon +of evaporation to take place. The vapor which escapes from the +damp cloth is water, is nothing but water, and will always be water +under a different form. It is water modified, and modified for a +moment, because this vapor, coming against the cold wall or other +cold objects, will condense. That is to say, it will become again +liquid water,—water similar to that which it was a moment ago; +and that is a physical phenomenon,—for physical science aims to +study the modifications which alter the form, the color, the appearance +of bodies, but only their temporary modifications, which leave +intact all the properties of bodies. Our drawing is concerned with +chemistry, because the piece of wood which burns disappears, leaving +in its place cinders in the hearth and gases which escape through +the chimney. Here there is a complete modification, an absolute +change of the piece of wood. Do what you will, you would be +unable, by collecting together the cinders and gases, to put +together again the log of wood which has been burned; and that +is a chemical phenomenon,—for the aim of chemistry is to study +the durable and permanent modifications, after which bodies retain +none of their original properties. Another example may make +more easy this distinction between physical science and chemistry. +Suppose that you put into the fire a bar of iron. That bar will +expand and become red. Its color, its form, its dimensions will be +modified, but it will always remain a bar of iron. That is a physical +phenomenon. Instead of this bar of iron, put in the fire a bit of +sulphur. It will flame up and burn in disengaging a gas of a peculiar +odor, which is called sulphuric acid. This sulphuric-acid gas +can be condensed and become a liquid, but it no longer contains +the properties of sulphur. It is no longer a piece of sulphur, and +can never again become a piece of sulphur. The modification of +this body is therefore durable, and therefore permanent. Now, +that is a chemical phenomenon."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger stopped for a moment; then, paying no apparent +attention to Paul, who, however, was listening far more attentively +than one could imagine he would, he looked at Miette, and said,—</p> + +<p>"I don't know, my child, if I have explained myself clearly +enough; but you must certainly understand that in their case the +artist has represented, whether he wished to or not, the physical +phenomenon and the chemical phenomenon."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," answered Miette, "I have understood quite well."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Monsieur Dalize, "since you are so good a teacher, +don't you think that you could, during vacation, cause a little chemistry +and a little physical science to enter into that little head?" +And he pointed to Paul Solange.</p> + +<p>The latter, notwithstanding the sentiment of respectful sympathy +which he felt for Monsieur Roger, and although he had listened +with interest to his explanations, could not prevent a gesture of +fear, so pronounced that everybody began to laugh.</p> + +<p>Miette, who wished to console her good friend Paul and obtain +his pardon for her teasing, came up to him, and said,—</p> + +<p>"Come, console yourself, Paul; I will let you take my portrait +a dozen times, as you did last year,—although it is very tiresome +to pose for a portrait."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_26_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_26_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a><br /><span class="sub">THE TOWER OF HEURTEBIZE.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_27_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_27_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>Next morning at six o'clock Paul Solange opened the door +of the château and stepped out on to the lawn. He held a sketch-book +in his hand. He directed his steps along a narrow pathway, +shaded by young elms, towards one of the gates of the park. +At a turning in the alley he found himself face to face with Monsieur +Roger, who was walking slowly and thoughtfully. Paul stopped, +and in his surprise could not help saying,—</p> + +<p>"Monsieur Roger, already up?"</p> + +<p>Monsieur answered, smiling,—</p> + +<p>"But you also, Master Paul, you are, like me, already up. +Are you displeased to meet me?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, sir," Paul hastened to say, blushing a little. "Why +should I be displeased at meeting you?"</p> + +<p>"Then, may I ask you where you are going so early in the +morning?"</p> + +<p>"Over there," said Paul, stretching his hand towards a high +wooded hill: "over there to Heurtebize."</p> + +<p>"And what are you going to do over there?"</p> + +<p>Paul answered by showing his sketch-book.</p> + +<p>"Ah, you are going to draw?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir; I am going to draw, to take a sketch of the tower; +that old tower which you see on the right side of the hill."</p> + +<p>"Well, Master Paul, will you be so kind," asked Monsieur +Roger, "as to allow me to go with you and explore this old +tower?"</p> + +<p>Paul, on hearing this proposal, which he could not refuse, +made an involuntary movement of dismay, exactly similar to that +he had made the night before.</p> + +<p>"Oh, fear nothing," said Monsieur Roger, good-naturedly. "I +will not bore you either with physical science nor chemistry. I hope +you will accept me, therefore, as your companion on the way, without +any apprehensions of that kind of annoyance."</p> + +<p>"Then, let us go, sir," answered Paul, a little ashamed to have +had his thoughts so easily guessed.</p> + +<p>They took a short cut across the fields, passing wide expanses +of blossoming clover; they crossed a road, they skirted fields of +wheat and of potatoes. At last they arrived upon the wooded +hill of Heurtebize, at the foot of the old tower, which still +proudly raised its head above the valleys.</p> + +<p>"What a lovely landscape!" said Monsieur Roger, when he +had got his breath.</p> + +<p>"The view is beautiful," said Paul, softly; "but it is nothing +like the view you get up above there."</p> + +<p>"Up above?" said Monsieur Roger, without understanding.</p> + +<p>"Yes, from the summit of the tower."</p> + +<p>"You have climbed up the tower?"</p> + +<p>"Several times."</p> + +<p>"But it is falling into ruins, this poor tower; it has only one +fault, that of having existed for two or three hundred years."</p> + +<p>"It is indeed very old," answered Paul; "it is the last vestige +of the old château of Sainte-Gemme, which, it is said, was built +in the sixteenth century, or possibly even a century or two earlier; +nobody is quite certain as to the date; at all events, the former +proprietors several years ago determined to preserve it, and they +even commenced some repairs upon it. The interior stairway +has been put in part into sufficiently good condition to enable you +to use it, if you at the same time call a little bit of gymnastics to +your aid, as you will have to do at a few places. And I have +used it in this way very often; but please now be good enough +to——"</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_28_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_28_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>Paul stopped, hesitating.</p> + +<p>"Good enough to what? Tell me."</p> + +<p>Then Paul Solange added,—</p> + +<p>"To say nothing of this to Madame Dalize. That would +make her uneasy."</p> + +<p>"Not only will I say nothing, my dear young friend, but I will +join you in the ascent,—for I have the greatest desire to do what +you are going to do, and to ascend the tower with you."</p> + +<p>Paul looked at Monsieur Roger, and said, quickly,—</p> + +<p>"But, sir, there is danger."</p> + +<p>"Bah! as there is none for you, why should there be danger +for me?"</p> + +<p>Somewhat embarrassed, Paul replied,—</p> + +<p>"I am young, sir; more active than you, perhaps, and——"</p> + +<p>"If that is your only reason, my friend, do not disturb yourself. +Let us try the ascent."</p> + +<p>"On one condition, sir."</p> + +<p>"What is that?"</p> + +<p>"That I go up first."</p> + +<p>"Yes, my dear friend, I consent. You shall go first," said Monsieur +Roger, who would have himself suggested this if the idea +had not come to Paul.</p> + +<p>Both of them, Monsieur Roger and Paul, had at this moment +the same idea of self-sacrifice. Paul said to himself, "If any accident +happens, it will happen to me, and not to Monsieur Roger." And +Monsieur Roger, sure of his own strength, thought, "If Paul should +happen to fall, very likely I may be able to catch him and save him."</p> + +<p>Luckily, the ascent, though somewhat difficult, was accomplished +victoriously, and Monsieur Roger was enabled to recognize that +the modified admiration which Paul Solange felt for the landscape, +as seen from below, was entirely justified.</p> + +<p>Paul asked,—</p> + +<p>"How high is this tower? A hundred feet?"</p> + +<p>"Less than that, I think," answered Monsieur Roger. "Still, +it will be easy to find out exactly in a moment."</p> + +<p>"In a moment?" asked Paul.</p> + +<p>"Yes, in a moment."</p> + +<p>"Without descending?"</p> + +<p>"No; we will remain where we are."</p> + +<p>Paul made a gesture which clearly indicated, "I would like to +see that."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger understood.</p> + +<p>"There is no lack of pieces of stone in this tower; take one," +said he to Paul.</p> + +<p>Paul obeyed.</p> + +<p>"You will let this stone fall to the earth at the very moment +that I tell you to do so."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger drew out his watch and looked carefully at the +second-hand.</p> + +<p>"Now, let go," he said.</p> + +<p>Paul opened his hand; the stone fell. It could be heard striking +the soil at the foot of the tower. Monsieur Roger, who during +the fall of the stone had had his eyes fixed upon his watch, said,—</p> + +<p>"The tower is not very high." Then he added, after a moment +of reflection, "The tower is sixty-two and a half feet in +height."</p> + +<p>Paul looked at Monsieur Roger, thinking that he was laughing +at him. Monsieur Roger lifted his eyes to Paul; he looked quite +serious. Then Paul said, softly,—</p> + +<p>"The tower is sixty feet high?"</p> + +<p>"Sixty-two and a half feet,—for the odd two and a half feet +must not be forgotten in our computation."</p> + +<p>Paul was silent. Then, seeing that Monsieur Roger was ready +to smile, and mistaking the cause of this smile, he said,—</p> + +<p>"You are joking, are you not? You cannot know that the +tower is really sixty feet high?"</p> + +<p>"Sixty-two feet and six inches," repeated Monsieur Roger again. +"That is exact. Do you want to have it proved to you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, sir," said Paul Solange, with real curiosity.</p> + +<p>"Very well. Go back to the château, and bring me a ball of +twine and a yard-measure."</p> + +<p>"I run," said Paul.</p> + +<p>"Take care!" cried Monsieur Roger, seeing how quickly Paul +was hurrying down the tower.</p> + +<p>When Paul had safely reached the ground, Monsieur Roger +said to himself, with an air of satisfaction,—</p> + +<p>"Come, come! we will make something out of that boy yet!"</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_29_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_29_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a><br /><span class="sub">PHYSICAL SCIENCE.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_30_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_30_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>Paul returned to the tower more quickly than Monsieur Roger +had expected. Instead of returning to the château, he had taken +the shortest cut, had reached the village, and had procured there +the two things wanted. He climbed up the tower and arrived +beside Monsieur Roger, holding out the ball of twine and the +yard-stick.</p> + +<p>"You are going to see, you little doubter, that I was not +wrong," said Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<p>He tied a stone to the twine, and let it down outside the tower +to the ground.</p> + +<p>"This length of twine," he said, "represents exactly the height +of the tower, does it not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," answered Paul.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger made a knot in the twine at the place where +it rested on the top of the tower. Then he asked Paul to take +the yard-stick which he had brought, and to hold it extended +between his two hands. Then, drawing up the twine which hung +outside the tower, he measured it yard by yard. Paul counted. +When he had reached the number sixty, he could not help bending +over to see how much remained of the twine.</p> + +<p>"Ah, sir," he cried, "I think you have won."</p> + +<p>"Let us finish our count," said Monsieur Roger, quietly.</p> + +<p>And Paul counted,—</p> + +<p>"Sixty-one, sixty-two,—sixty-two feet——"</p> + +<p>"And?"</p> + +<p>"And six inches!" cried Paul.</p> + +<p>"I have won, as you said, my young friend," cried Monsieur +Roger, who enjoyed Paul's surprise. "Now let us cautiously descend +and return to the château, where the breakfast-bell will +soon ring."</p> + +<p>The descent was made in safety, and they directed their steps +towards Sainte-Gemme. Paul walked beside Monsieur Roger +without saying anything. He was deep in thought.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_31_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_31_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>Monsieur Roger, understanding what was going on in the +brain of his friend, took care not to disturb him. He waited, +hoping for an answer. His hope was soon realized. As they +reached the park, Paul, who, after thinking a great deal, had failed +to solve the difficulty, said, all of a sudden,—</p> + +<p>"Monsieur Roger!"</p> + +<p>"What, my friend?"</p> + +<p>"How did you measure the tower?"</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger looked at Paul, and, affecting a serious air, +he said,—</p> + +<p>"It is impossible, entirely impossible for me to answer."</p> + +<p>"Impossible?" cried Paul, in surprise.</p> + +<p>"Yes, impossible."</p> + +<p>"Why, please?"</p> + +<p>"Because in answering I will break the promise that I have +made you,—the promise to say nothing about chemistry or physical +science."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said Paul, becoming silent again.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger glanced at his companion from the corner of +his eye, knowing that his curiosity would soon awake again. At +the end of the narrow, shady pathway they soon saw the red bricks +of the château shining in the sun; but Paul had not yet renewed +his question, and Monsieur Roger began to be a little uneasy,—for, +if Paul held his tongue, it would show that his curiosity had +vanished, and another occasion to revive it would be difficult to find.</p> + +<p>Luckily, Paul decided to speak at the very moment when they +reached the château.</p> + +<p>"Then," said he, expressing the idea which was uppermost,—"Then +it is physical science?"</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger asked, in an indifferent tone,—</p> + +<p>"What is physical science?"</p> + +<p>"Your method of measuring the tower."</p> + +<p>"Yes, it is physical science, as you say. Consequently, you +see very well that I cannot answer you."</p> + +<p>"Ah, Monsieur Roger," said Paul, embarrassed, "you are +laughing at me."</p> + +<p>"Not at all, my friend. I made a promise; I must hold to +it. I have a great deal of liking for you, and I don't want you +to dislike me."</p> + +<p>"Oh, sir!"</p> + +<p>Suddenly they heard the voice of Monsieur Dalize, who cried, +cheerfully,—</p> + +<p>"See, they are already quarrelling!"</p> + +<p>For some moments Monsieur Dalize, at the door of the vestibule, +surrounded by his wife and his children, had been gazing at the two +companions. Monsieur Roger and Paul approached.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?" asked Monsieur Dalize, shaking hands +with his friend.</p> + +<p>"A very strange thing has happened," answered Monsieur +Roger.</p> + +<p>"And what is that?"</p> + +<p>"Simply that Master Paul wants me to speak to him of physical +science."</p> + +<p>An astonished silence, soon followed by a general laugh, greeted +these words. Miss Miette took a step forward, looked at Paul +with an uneasy air, and said,—</p> + +<p>"Are you sick, my little Paul?"</p> + +<p>Paul, confused, kept silent, but he answered by a reproachful +look the ironical question of his friend Miette.</p> + +<p>"But whence could such a change have come?" asked Madame +Dalize, addressing Monsieur Roger. "Explain to us what has +happened."</p> + +<p>"Here are the facts," answered Monsieur Roger. "We had +climbed up the tower of Heurtebize——"</p> + +<p>Madame Dalize started, and turned a look of uneasiness towards +Paul.</p> + +<p>"Paul was not at fault," Monsieur Roger hastened to add. "I +was the guilty one. Well, we were up there, when Master +Paul got the idea of estimating the height of the tower. I +answered that nothing was more simple than to know it at once. +I asked him to let fall a stone. I looked at my watch while +the stone was falling, and I said, 'The tower is sixty-two feet +and six inches high.' Master Paul seemed to be astonished. +He went after a yard-stick and some twine. We measured +the tower, and Master Paul has recognized that the tower is in fact +sixty-two feet and six inches high. Now he wants me to tell him +how I have been able so simply, with so little trouble, to learn +the height. That is a portion of physical science; and, as I made +Master Paul a promise this very morning not to speak to him of +physical science nor of chemistry, you see it is impossible for me +to answer."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize understood at once what his friend Roger +had in view, and, assuming the same air, he answered,—</p> + +<p>"Certainly, it is impossible; you are perfectly right. You +promised; you must keep your promise."</p> + +<p>"Unless," said Miss Miette, taking sides with her friend Paul,—"unless +Paul releases Monsieur Roger from his promise."</p> + +<p>"You are entirely right, my child," said Monsieur Roger; +"should Paul release me sufficiently to ask me to answer him. +But, as I remarked to you a moment ago, I fear that he will repent +too quickly, and take a dislike to me. That I should be very +sorry for."</p> + +<p>"No, sir, I will not repent. I promise you that."</p> + +<p>"Very well," said Miette; "there is another promise. You +know that you will have to keep it."</p> + +<p>"But," answered Monsieur Roger, turning to Paul, "it will be +necessary for me to speak to you of weight, of the fall of bodies, +of gravitation; and I am very much afraid that that will weary +you."</p> + +<p>"No, sir," answered Paul, very seriously, "that will not weary +me. On the contrary, that will interest me, if it teaches me how +you managed to calculate the height of the tower."</p> + +<p>"It will certainly teach you that."</p> + +<p>"Then I am content," said Paul.</p> + +<p>"And I also," said Monsieur Roger to himself, happy to have +attained his object so soon.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_32_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_32_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a><br /><span class="sub">THE SMOKE WHICH FALLS.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_33_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_33_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>In the evening, after dinner, Monsieur Roger, to whom Paul +recalled his promise, asked Miette to go and find him a pebble in +the pathway before the château. When he had the bit of stone +in his hand, Monsieur Roger let it fall from the height of about +three feet.</p> + +<p>"As you have just heard and seen," said he, addressing Paul, +"this stone in falling from a small height produces only a feeble +shock, but if it falls from the height of the house upon the flagstones +of the pavement, the shock would be violent enough to +break it."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger interrupted himself, and put this question to +Paul:</p> + +<p>"Possibly you may have asked yourself why this stone should +fall. Why do bodies fall?"</p> + +<p>"Goodness knows," said the small voice of Miss Miette in the +midst of the silence that followed.</p> + +<p>"Miette," said Madame Dalize, "be serious, and don't answer +for others."</p> + +<p>"But, mamma, I am sure that Paul would have answered the +same as I did:—would you not, Paul?"</p> + +<p>Paul bent his head slightly as a sign that Miette was not +mistaken.</p> + +<p>"Well," continued Monsieur Roger, "another one before you +did ask himself this question. It was a young man of twenty-three +years, named Newton. He found himself one fine evening in a +garden, sitting under an apple-tree, when an apple fell at his feet. +This common fact, whose cause had never awakened the attention +of anybody, filled all his thoughts; and, as the moon was shining +in the heavens, Newton asked himself why the moon did not fall +like the apple."</p> + +<p>"That is true," said Miette; "why does not the moon fall?"</p> + +<p>"Listen, and you will hear," said Monsieur Dalize.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger continued:</p> + +<p>"By much reflection, by hard work and calculation, Newton +made an admirable discovery,—that of universal attraction. Yes, +he discovered that all bodies, different though they may be, attract +each other: they draw towards each other; the bodies which +occupy the celestial spaces,—planets and suns,—as well as the +bodies which are found upon our earth. The force which attracts +bodies towards the earth, which made this stone fall, as Newton's +apple fell, has received the name of weight. Weight, therefore, +is the attraction of the earth for articles which are on its surface. +Why does this table, around which we find ourselves, remain in +the same place? Why does it not slide or fly away? Simply +because it is retained by the attraction of the earth. I have told +you that all bodies attract each other. It is therefore quite true +that in the same way as the earth attracts the table, so does the +table attract the earth."</p> + +<p>"Like a loadstone," said Albert Dalize.</p> + +<p>"Well, you may compare the earth in this instance to a loadstone. +The loadstone draws the iron, and iron draws the loadstone, +exactly as the earth and the table draw each other; but you +can understand that the earth attracts the table with far more +force than the table attracts the earth."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Miette; "because the earth is bigger than the +table."</p> + +<p>"Exactly so. It has been discovered that bodies attract each +other in proportion to their size,—that is to say, the quantity of +matter that they contain. On the other hand, the farther bodies +are from each other the less they attract each other. I should +translate in this fashion the scientific formula which tells us that +bodies attract each other in an inverse ratio to the square of the +distance. I would remind you that the square of a number is the +product obtained by multiplying that number by itself. So all +bodies are subject to that force which we call weight; all substances, +all matter abandoned to itself, falls to the earth."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_34_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_34_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>Just here Miss Miette shifted uneasily on her chair, wishing +to make an observation, but not daring.</p> + +<p>"Come, Miss Miette," said Monsieur Roger, who saw this manoeuvre, +"you have something to tell us. Your little tongue is itching +to say something. Well, speak; we should all like to hear you."</p> + +<p>"Monsieur Roger," said Miette, "is not smoke a substance?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly; the word substance signifies something that exists. +Smoke exists. Therefore it is a substance."</p> + +<p>"Then," replied Miette, with an air of contentment with herself, +"as smoke is a substance, there is one substance which does not +fall to the earth. Indeed, it does just the opposite."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Miss Miette wants to catch me," said Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<p>Miette made a gesture of modest denial, but at heart she was +very proud of the effect which she had produced, for every one +looked at her with interest.</p> + +<p>"To the smoke of which you speak," continued Monsieur Roger, +"you might add balloons, and even clouds."</p> + +<p>"Certainly, that is true," answered Miette, näively.</p> + +<p>"Very well; although smoke and balloons rise in the air instead +of falling, although clouds remain suspended above our heads, +smoke and balloons and clouds are none the less bodies with +weight. What prevents their fall is the fact that they find themselves +in the midst of the air, which is heavier than they are. Take +away the air and they would fall."</p> + +<p>"Take away the air?" cried Miette, with an air of doubt, +thinking that she was facing an impossibility.</p> + +<p>"Yes, take away the air," continued Monsieur Roger; "for +that can be done. There even exists for this purpose a machine, +which is called an air-pump. You place under a glass globe a +lighted candle. Then you make a vacuum,—that is to say, by +the aid of the air-pump you exhaust the air in the globe; +soon the candle is extinguished for want of air, but the wick +of the candle continues for some instants to produce smoke. Now, +you think, I suppose, that that smoke rises in the globe?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly," said Miette.</p> + +<p>"No, no, not at all; it falls."</p> + +<p>"Ah! I should like to see that!" cried Miette.</p> + +<p>"And, in order to give you the pleasure of seeing this, I +suppose you would like an air-pump?"</p> + +<p>"Well, papa will buy me one.—Say, papa, won't you do it, +so we may see the smoke fall?"</p> + +<p>"No, indeed!" said Monsieur Dalize; "how can we introduce +here instruments of physical science during vacation? What +would Paul say?"</p> + +<p>"Paul would say nothing. I am sure that he is just as anxious +as I am to see smoke fall.—Are you not, Paul?"</p> + +<p>And Paul Solange, already half-conquered, made a sign from +the corner of his eye to his little friend that her demand was +not at all entirely disagreeable to him.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_35_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_35_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a><br /><span class="sub">AT THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_36_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_36_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>Monsieur Roger, hiding his satisfaction, seemed to attach no +importance to this request of Miette under the assent given by +Paul. Wishing to profit by the awakened curiosity of his little +friend, he hastened to continue, and said,—</p> + +<p>"Who wants to bring me a bit of cork and a glass of water?"</p> + +<p>"I! I!" cried Miette, running.</p> + +<p>When Miette had returned with the articles, Monsieur Roger +continued:</p> + +<p>"I told you a moment ago that if balloons and smoke and +clouds do not fall, it is because they find themselves in the midst +of air which is heavier than they are. I am going to try an +experiment which will make you understand what I have said."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger took the cork, raised his hand above his +head, and opened his fingers: the cork fell.</p> + +<p>"Is it a heavy body?" said he. "Did it fall to the ground?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," cried Paul and Miette together.</p> + +<p>Then Monsieur Roger placed the glass of water in front of +him, took the cork, which Miette had picked up, and forced it with +his finger to the bottom of the glass; then he withdrew his finger, +and the cork mounted up to the surface again.</p> + +<p>"Did you see?" asked Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Miss Miette.</p> + +<p>"You remarked something?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly: the cork would not fall, and you were obliged to +force it into the water with your finger."</p> + +<p>"And not only," continued Monsieur Roger, "it would not +fall, as you say, but it even hastened to rise again as soon as it +was freed from the pressure of my finger. We were wrong, then, +when we said that this same cork is a heavy body?"</p> + +<p>"Ah, I don't know," said Miette, a little confused.</p> + +<p>"Still, we must know. Did this cork fall just now upon the +ground?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Then it was a heavy body?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"And now that it remains on the surface of the water, that +it no longer precipitates itself towards the earth, it is no longer +a heavy body?"</p> + +<p>This time Miette knew not what to answer.</p> + +<p>"Well, be very sure," continued Monsieur Roger, "that it +is heavy. If it does not fall to the bottom of the water, it is +because the water is heavier than it. The water is an obstacle +to it. Nevertheless, it is attracted, like all bodies, towards the +earth, or, more precisely, towards the centre of the earth."</p> + +<p>"Towards the centre of the earth?" repeated Miette.</p> + +<p>"Yes, towards the centre of the earth. Can Miss Miette +procure for me two pieces of string and two heavy bodies,—for +example, small pieces of lead?"</p> + +<p>"String, yes; but where can I get lead?" asked Miette.</p> + +<p>"Look in the box where I keep my fishing-tackle," said +Monsieur Dalize to his daughter, "and find two sinkers +there."</p> + +<p>Miette disappeared, and came back in a moment with the +articles desired. Monsieur Roger tied the little pieces of lead +to the two separate strings. Then he told Miette to hold the +end of one of these strings in her fingers. He himself did the +same with the other string. The two strings from which the +sinkers were suspended swayed to and fro for some seconds, and +then stopped in a fixed position.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_37_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_37_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>"Is it not evident," said Monsieur Roger, "that the direction +of our strings is the same as the direction in which the force +which we call weight attracts the bodies of lead? In fact, if you +cut the string, the lead would go in that direction. The string +which Miss Miette is holding and that which I hold myself seem +to us to be parallel,—that is to say, that it seems impossible they +should ever meet, however long the distance which they travel. +Well, that is an error. For these two strings, if left to themselves, +would meet exactly at the centre of the earth."</p> + +<p>"Then," said Miette, "if we detach the sinkers, they would +fall, and would join each other exactly at the centre of the +earth?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, if they encountered no obstacle; but they would be +stopped by the resistance of the ground. They would attempt +to force themselves through, and would not succeed."</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Why, if the ground which supports us did not resist, we +would not be at this moment chatting quietly here on the surface +of the earth; drawn by gravity, we would all be——"</p> + +<p>"At the centre of the earth!" cried Miette.</p> + +<p>"Exactly. And it might very well happen that I would not +then be in a mood to explain to you the attraction of gravity."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that is very probable," said Miss Miette, philosophically. +Then she added, "If, instead of letting these bits of lead fall upon +the ground, we let them fall in water?"</p> + +<p>"Well, they would approach the centre of the earth for the +entire depth of the water."</p> + +<p>Miette had mechanically placed the sinker above the glass of +water. She let it fall into it; the cork still swam above.</p> + +<p>"Why does the lead fall to the bottom of the water, and why +does the cork not fall?"</p> + +<p>"Why," said Albert, "because lead is heavier than cork."</p> + +<p>Miette looked at her brother, and then turned her eyes towards +Monsieur Roger, as if the explanation given by Albert explained +nothing, and finally she said,—</p> + +<p>"Of course lead is heavier than cork; but why is it +heavier?"</p> + +<p>"My child, you want to know a great deal," said Madame +Dalize.</p> + +<p>"Ah, mamma, it is not my fault,—it is Paul's, who wants to +know, and does not like to ask. I am obliged to ask questions +in his stead."</p> + +<p>That was true. Paul asked no questions, but he listened with +attention, and his eyes seemed to approve the questions asked by +his friend Miette. Monsieur Roger had observed with pleasure +the conduct of his young friend, and it was for him, while he was +looking at Miette, the latter continued:</p> + +<p>"Tell us, Monsieur Roger, why is lead heavier than cork?"</p> + +<p>"Because its density is greater," answered Monsieur Roger, +seriously.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" murmured Miette, disappointed; and, as Monsieur +Roger kept silent, she added, "What is density?"</p> + +<p>"It would take a long time to explain."</p> + +<p>"Tell me all the same."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger saw at this moment that Paul was beckoning +to Miette to insist.</p> + +<p>"Goodness!" said he, smiling at Paul; "Miss Miette was +right just now. It is you that wish me to continue the questions!"</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_38_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_38_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a><br /><span class="sub">WHY LEAD IS HEAVIER THAN CORK.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_39_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_39_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>Monsieur Roger continued in these words:</p> + +<p>"We say that a body has density when it is thick and packed +close. We give the name of density to the quantity of matter +contained in a body of a certain size.</p> + +<p>"Let us suppose that this bit of lead has the same bulk—that +is to say, that it is exactly as big—as the cork. Suppose, +also, that we have a piece of gold and a piece of stone, also +of the same bulk as the cork, and that we weigh each +different piece in a pair of scales. We would find that cork +weighs less than stone, that stone weighs less than lead, and +that lead weighs less than gold. But, in order to compare these +differences with each other, it has been necessary to adopt a +standard of weight.</p> + +<p>"I now return to Miss Miette's question,—'Why is lead +heavier than cork?'—a question to which I had solemnly answered, +'Because its density is greater.' Miss Miette must now understand +that cork, weighing four times less than water, cannot sink +in water, although that process is very easy to lead, which weighs +eleven times more than water. And yet," said Monsieur Roger, +"the problem is not perfectly solved, and I am quite sure that +Miss Miette is not entirely satisfied."</p> + +<p>Miss Miette remained silent.</p> + +<p>"I was not mistaken. Miss Miette is not satisfied," said Monsieur +Roger; "and she is right,—for I have not really explained +to her why lead is heavier than cork."</p> + +<p>Miss Miette made a gesture, which seemed to say, "That is +what I was expecting."</p> + +<p>"I said just now," continued Monsieur Roger, "that the +density of a body was the quantity of matter contained in this +body in a certain bulk. Now does Miss Miette know what +matter is?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"No! Now, there is the important thing: because, in explaining +to her what matter is, I will make her understand why lead is +heavier than cork."</p> + +<p>"Well, I am listening," said Miette.</p> + +<p>And Master Paul respectfully added, in an undertone, "We +are listening."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger continued:</p> + +<p>"The name of 'bodies' has been given to all objects which, +in infinite variety, surround us and reveal themselves to us by the +touch, taste, sight, and smell. All these bodies present distinct +properties; but there are certain numbers of properties which are +common to all. Those all occupy a certain space; all are expanded +by heat, are contracted by cold, and can even pass from the solid +to the liquid state, and from the liquid to the gaseous state. They +all possess a certain amount of elasticity, a certain amount of compressibility,—in +a word, there exist in all bodies common characteristics: +so they have given a common name to those possessing +these common properties, and called that which constitutes bodies +'matter.' Bodies are not compact, as you may imagine. They +are, on the contrary, formed by the union of infinitely small particles, +all equal to each other and maintained at distances that are +relatively considerable by the force of attraction.</p> + +<p>"These infinitely small particles have received the names of +atoms or molecules. Imagine a pile of bullets, and remark the +empty spaces left between them, and you will have a picture of +the formation of bodies. I must acknowledge to you that no one +has yet seen the molecules of a body. Their size is so small +that no microscope can ever be made keen enough to see +them. A wise man has reached this conclusion: That if you +were to look at a drop of water through a magnifying instrument +which made it appear as large as the whole earth, the molecules +which compose this drop of water would seem hardly bigger than +bits of bird-shot. Still, this conception of the formation of bodies +is proved by certain properties which matter enjoys. Among +these properties I must especially single out divisibility. Matter +can be divided into parts so small that it is difficult to conceive of +them. Gold-beaters, for instance, succeed in making gold-leaf so +thin that it is necessary to place sixty thousand one on top of +the other to arrive at the thickness of an inch. I will give you +two other examples of 'divisibility' that are still more striking. +For years, hardly losing any of its weight, a grain of musk spreads +a strong odor. In a tubful of water one single drop of indigo +communicates its color. The smallness of these particles of musk +which strike the sense of smell and of these particles of indigo +which color several quarts of water is beyond our imagination to +conceive of. And these examples prove that bodies are nothing +but a conglomeration of molecules. Now, if lead is heavier than +cork, it is because in an equal volume it contains a far more considerable +quantity of molecules, and because these molecules are +themselves heavier than the molecules of cork. And now I shall +stop," said Monsieur Roger, "after this long but necessary explanation. +I will continue on the day when Miss Miette will present +to me the famous air-pump."</p> + +<p>"That will not be very long from now," said Miss Miette to +herself.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_40_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_40_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a><br /><span class="sub">THE AIR-PUMP.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_41_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_41_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>Monsieur Roger had deferred his explanations for three +days. He was awaiting the air-pump which Monsieur Dalize, at +Miette's desire, had decided to purchase in Paris. Monsieur Roger +judged that this interruption and this rest were necessary. In +this way his hearers would not be tired too soon, and their curiosity, +remaining unsatisfied for the moment, would become more eager. +He was not mistaken; and when a large box containing the air-pump +and other objects ordered by Monsieur Roger arrived, a +series of cries of astonishment came from the pretty mouth of Miss +Miette. Paul Solange, however, remained calm; but Monsieur +Roger knew that his interest had been really awakened. They +spent the afternoon in unpacking the air-pump, and Monsieur +Roger was called upon at once to explain the instrument.</p> + +<p>"The machine," he said, "is called an air-pump because it is +intended to exhaust air contained in a vase or other receptacle. +To exhaust the air in a vase is to make a vacuum in that vase. +You will see that this machine is composed of two cylinders, or +pump-barrels, out of which there comes a tube, which opens in the +centre of this disk of glass. Upon this disk we carefully place this +globe of glass; and now we are going to exhaust the air contained +in the globe."</p> + +<p>"We are going to make a vacuum," said Miette.</p> + +<p>"Exactly." And Monsieur Roger commenced to work the +lever. "You will take notice," he said, "that when the lever is +lowered at the left the round piece of leather placed in the cylinder +on the left side is lowered, and that the bit of leather in the right-hand +cylinder is raised. In the same way, when the lever is +lowered at the right, it is the right-hand piece of leather which is +lowered, while the piece of leather at the left is raised in its turn. +These round bits of leather, whose importance is considerable, are +called pistons. Each piston is hollow and opens into the air on +top, while at the bottom, which communicates with that portion of +the cylinder situated below the piston, there is a little hole, which +is stopped by a valve. This valve is composed of a little round +bit of metal, bearing on top a vertical stem, around which is rolled +a spring somewhat in the shape of a coil or ringlet. The ends of +this spring rest on one side on a little bit of metal, on the other on +a fixed rest, pierced by a hole in which the stem of the valve can +freely go up and down. When I work the lever, as I am doing +now, you see that on the left side the piston lowers itself in the +cylinder, and that the piston on the right is raised. Now, what +is going on in the interior of each cylinder? The piston of the +left, in lowering, disturbs the air contained in the cylinder,—it forces +it down, it compresses it. Under this compression the coiled +spring gives way, the round bit of metal is raised, and opens the +little hole which puts the under part of the piston in communication +with the atmosphere. The air contained in the cylinder +passes in this way across the piston and disperses itself in the air +which surrounds us. But the spring makes the bit of metal fall +back again and closes the communication in the right-hand cylinder +as soon as the piston commences to rise and the pressure of the +air in the cylinder is not greater than the pressure of the atmosphere +outside. Lastly, the tube which unites the cylinders to the +glass globe opens at the end of each cylinder, but a little on the side. +It is closed by a little cork, carried by a metal stem which traverses +the whole piston. When I cause one of the pistons to lower, +the piston brings the stem down with it. The cork at once comes +in contact with the hole, which closes; the stem is then stopped, +but the piston continues to descend by sliding over it. In the +other cylinder, in which the piston is raised, it commences by +raising the stem, which re-establishes communication with the glass +globe; but as soon as the top of the stem comes in contact with +the upper part of the cylinder, it stops and the piston glides over +it and continues to rise."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_42_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_42_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"In this fashion the movements of the cork are very small, and +it opens and shuts the orifice as soon as one of the pistons begins +to descend and the other begins to ascend. Consequently, by +working the lever for a certain space of time, I will finish by +exhausting the globe of all the air which it contains."</p> + +<p>"May I try to exhaust it?" asked Miette, timidly.</p> + +<p>"Try your hand, Miss Miette," answered Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<p>Miette began to work the lever of the air-pump, which she +did at first very easily, but soon she stopped.</p> + +<p>"I cannot do it any more," said she.</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Because it is too heavy."</p> + +<p>"In fact, it is too heavy," said Monsieur Roger; "but tell me, +what is it that is too heavy?"</p> + +<p>Miette sought an answer.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I do not know. It is the lever or the pistons which have +become all of a sudden too heavy."</p> + +<p>"Not at all; that is not it. Neither the lever nor the pistons +can change their weight."</p> + +<p>"Then, what is it that is so heavy?"</p> + +<p>"Come, now! Try once more, with all your strength."</p> + +<p>Miette endeavored to lower the right-hand side of the lever: +she could not succeed.</p> + +<p>"Why," said she, "it is, of course, the piston on the left +which has become too heavy, as I cannot make it rise again."</p> + +<p>"You are right, Miss Miette. It is the piston in the left cylinder +which cannot rise; but it has not changed its weight, as I said,—only +it has now to support a very considerable weight; and it is +that weight which you cannot combat."</p> + +<p>"What weight is it?" said Miette, who did not understand.</p> + +<p>"The weight of the air."</p> + +<p>"The weight of the air? But what air?"</p> + +<p>"The air which is above it,—the exterior air; the air which +weighs down this piston, as it weighs us down."</p> + +<p>"Does air weigh much?"</p> + +<p>"If you are very anxious to know, I will tell you that a wine +gallon of air weighs about seventy-two grains; and as in the atmosphere—that +is to say, in the mass of air which surrounds us—there +is a very great number of gallons, you can imagine that it must +represent a respectable number of pounds. It has been calculated, +in fact, that each square inch of the surface of the soil supports a +weight of air of a little more than sixteen pounds."</p> + +<p>"But how is that?" cried Miette. "A while ago there was also +a considerable quantity of air above the piston, and yet I could +make it go up very easily."</p> + +<p>"Certainly, there was above the piston the same quantity of air as +now, but there was air also in the globe. Air, like gas, possesses an +elastic force,—that is to say, that it constantly endeavors to distend +its molecules, and presses without ceasing upon the sides of the vase +which contained it, or upon the surrounding air. Now, when you +began to work the lever there was still enough air in the globe to +balance, through its elastic force, the air outside; and, as the piston +receives an almost equal pressure of air from the atmosphere +above and from the globe below, it is easily raised and lowered. +But while you were working the lever you took air out of the +globe, so that at last there arrived a time when so little air +remained in this globe that its elastic force acted with little power +upon the piston. So the piston was submitted to only one pressure,—that +of the atmosphere; and, as I have just told you, the +atmosphere weighs heavy enough to withstand your little strength. +Still, all the air in the globe is not yet exhausted, and a stronger +person, like Master Paul, for example, could still be able to conquer +the resistance of the atmosphere and raise the piston."</p> + +<p>Paul Solange could not refuse this direct invitation, and he +approached the air-pump and succeeded in working the lever, though +with a certain difficulty.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, Monsieur Roger was seeking among the physical +instruments which had just arrived. He soon found a glass cylinder, +whose upper opening was closed by a bit of bladder stretched taut +and carefully tied upon the edges.</p> + +<p>"Stop, Master Paul," said he: "we are going to exchange the +globe for this cylinder, and you will see very readily that the air +is heavy. Now take away the globe."</p> + +<p>But, though Paul tried his best, he could not succeed in obeying +this order. The globe remained firm in its place.</p> + +<p>"That is still another proof of the weight of the air," said +Monsieur Roger. "The globe is empty of air; and as there is +no longer any pressure upon it except from outside,—the pressure +of the atmosphere,—Master Paul is unable to raise it."</p> + +<p>"He would be able to raise the glass," said Miss Miette, in +a questioning tone, "but he cannot lift the air above it?"</p> + +<p>"You are exactly right. But you are going to see an experiment +which will prove it. First, however, it will be necessary to +take away the globe. I am going to ask Miss Miette to turn this +button, which is called the key of the air-pump."</p> + +<p>Miette turned the key, and then they heard a whistling sound.</p> + +<p>"It is the air which is entering the globe," said Monsieur Roger. +"Now Master Paul can take the globe away."</p> + +<p>That was true. When Paul took away the globe, Monsieur +Roger put in its place the cylinder closed by the bit of bladder. +Then he worked the handle of the machine again. As the air +was withdrawn from the interior of the cylinder, the membrane +was heard to crackle. Suddenly it burst, with a sort of explosion, to +the great surprise of Miette and the amusement of everybody.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?" said Miette, eagerly.</p> + +<p>"The matter is," answered Monsieur Roger, "that the exterior air +weighed so heavily upon the membrane that it split it; and that is +what I want to show you. The moment arrived when the pressure +of the atmosphere was no longer counterbalanced by the elastic +force of the air contained in the cylinder. Then that exhausted +all the air, and the atmosphere came down with all its weight upon +the membrane, which, after resisting for a little while, was torn."</p> + +<p>"Is it true, Monsieur Roger," said Miette, "that it is with this +machine that you can make smoke fall?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, won't you show that to us?"</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_43_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_43_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a><br /><span class="sub">DROPS OF RAIN AND HAMMER OF WATER.</span></h2> + + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_44_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_44_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>"I am very willing to show you that," answered Monsieur Roger; +"but I must have a candle."</p> + +<p>Miette ran to the kitchen and succeeded in obtaining that article +which was once so common, and which is now so rare, known as a +candle. Monsieur Roger lit the candle and placed it under the +glass globe of the air-pump. Then he asked Paul to make a vacuum. +At the end of a few minutes the candle went out. Monsieur +Roger then told Paul to stop.</p> + +<p>"Why has the candle gone out?" asked Miette.</p> + +<p>"Because it needs air. Master Paul has just exhausted the air +necessary to the combustion of the candle; but the wick still smokes, +and we are going to see if the smoke which it produces will rise +or fall."</p> + +<p>Everybody approached the globe, full of curiosity.</p> + +<p>"It falls," cried Miette, "the smoke falls."</p> + +<p>And in fact, instead of rising in the globe, the smoke lowered +slowly and heavily, and fell upon the glass disk of the air-pump.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Monsieur Roger, "you see that I was right. In +a vacuum smoke falls: it falls because it no longer finds itself in +the midst of air which is heavier than it and forms an obstacle to +its fall. In the same way the cloud in the sky above the château +would fall if we could exhaust the air which is between it and us."</p> + +<p>"I am very glad that we cannot," cried Miette.</p> + +<p>"And why are you very glad?" asked Madame Dalize.</p> + +<p>"Because, mamma, I don't wish any rain to fall."</p> + +<p>"Does Miss Miette think, then," said Monsieur Roger, "that +if the cloud fell rain would fall?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly," answered Miss Miette, with a certain amount of +logic. "When the clouds fall they fall in the form of rain."</p> + +<p>"Yes; but supposing that I should exhaust the air which is +between the cloud and us, the cloud would not fall in a rain, but +in a single and large mass of water."</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Clouds, you doubtless know, are masses of vapor from water. +Now, when these vapors are sufficiently condensed to acquire a +certain weight, they can no longer float in the atmosphere, and +they fall in the form of rain. But they fall in rain because they +have to traverse the air in order to fall to the ground. Now, the +air offers such a resistance to this water that it is obliged to separate, +to divide itself into small drops. If there were no air between +the water and the ground, the water would not fall in drops of +rain, but in a mass, like a solid body; and I am going to prove +that to you, so as to convince Miss Miette."</p> + +<p>Among the various instruments unpacked from the box, Monsieur +Roger chose a round tube of glass, closed at one end, tapering, +and open at the other end. He introduced into this tube a certain +quantity of water so as to half fill it. Then he placed the tube +above a little alcohol lamp, and made the water boil.</p> + +<p>"Remark," said he, "how fully and completely the vapors +from the water, which are formed by the influence of heat, force +out the air which this tube encloses in escaping by the open end +of the tube."</p> + +<p>When Monsieur Roger judged that there no longer remained +any air in the tube, he begged Monsieur Dalize to hand him the +blowpipe. Monsieur Dalize then handed to his friend a little instrument +of brass, which was composed of three parts,—a conical tube, +furnished with a mouth, a hollow cylinder succeeding to the first tube, +and a second tube, equally conical, but narrower, and placed at right +angles with the hollow cylinder. This second tube ended in a very +little opening.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger placed his lips to the opening of the first tube, +and blew, placing the little opening of the second tube in front of +the flame of a candle, which Monsieur Dalize had just lit. A long +and pointed tongue of fire extended itself from the flame of the +candle. Monsieur Roger placed close to this tongue of fire the +tapering and open end of the tube in which the water had finished +boiling. The air, forced out of the blowpipe and thrust upon the +flame of the candle, bore to this flame a considerable quantity of +oxygen, which increased the combustion and produced a temperature +high enough to soften and melt the open extremity of the +tube, and so seal it hermetically.</p> + +<p>"I have," said Monsieur Roger, "by the means which you have +seen, expelled the air which was contained in this tube, and there +remains in it only water. In a few moments we will make use of it. +But it is good to have a comparison under your eyes. I therefore +ask Miss Miette to take another tube similar to that which I hold."</p> + +<p>"Here it is," cried Miette.</p> + +<p>"Now I ask her to put water into it."</p> + +<p>"I have done so."</p> + +<p>"Lastly, I ask her to turn it over quickly, with her little hand +placed against its lower side in order to prevent the water from +falling upon the floor."</p> + +<p>Miss Miette did as she was commanded. The water fell in +the tube, dividing itself into drops of more or less size. It was +like rain in miniature.</p> + +<p>"The water, as you have just seen," said Monsieur Roger, +"has fallen in Miss Miette's tube, dividing itself against the resistance +of the air. In the tube which I hold, and in which there is +no longer any air, you will see how water falls."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger turned the tube over, but the water this time +encountered no resistance from the air. It fell in one mass, and +struck the bottom of the tube with a dry and metallic sound.</p> + +<p>"It made a noise almost like the noise of a hammer," said Paul +Solange.</p> + +<p>"Exactly," answered Monsieur Roger. "Scientists have given +this apparatus the name of the water-hammer." And looking at +Miette, who in her astonishment was examining the tube without +saying anything, Monsieur Roger added, smiling, "And this hammer +has struck Miss Miette with surprise."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_45_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_45_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a><br /><span class="sub">AMUSING PHYSICS.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_46_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_46_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>Hearing Monsieur Roger's jest, Miette raised her head, and +said,—</p> + +<p>"Yes, it is very curious to see water fall like that, in a single +mass; and, besides, it fell quicker than the water in my tube."</p> + +<p>"Of course: because it did not encounter the resistance of the +air. This resistance is very easy to prove; and if Miss Miette +will give me a sheet of any kind of paper——"</p> + +<p>Miss Miette looked at Monsieur Roger, seeming to be slightly +nettled,—not by the errand, but by something else.</p> + +<p>Then she went in search of a sheet of letter-paper, which she +brought back to Monsieur Roger. He raised his hand and dropped +the paper. Instead of falling directly towards the earth, as a piece +of lead or stone would do, it floated downward from the right to +the left, gently balanced, and impeded in its fall by the evident +resistance of the air. When this bit of paper had at last reached +the ground, Monsieur Roger picked it up, saying,—</p> + +<p>"I am going to squeeze this bit of paper in such a way as to +make it a paper ball; and I am going to let this paper ball fall +from the same height as I did the leaf."</p> + +<p>The paper ball fell directly in a straight line upon the floor.</p> + +<p>"And yet it was the same sheet," said he, "which has fallen +so fast. The matter submitted to the action of gravity remains +the same; there can be no doubt on that point. Therefore, if +the sheet of paper falls more quickly when it is rolled up into a +ball, it is certainly because it meets with less resistance from the +air; and if it meets with less resistance, it is because under this +form of a ball it presents only a small surface, which allows it easily +to displace the air in order to pass."</p> + +<p>"That is so," said Miss Miette, with a certainty which made +every one smile.</p> + +<p>Miette, astonished at the effect which she had thus produced, +looked at her friend Paul, who remained silent, but very attentive.</p> + +<p>"Well, Paul," said she, "is not that certain?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Paul.</p> + +<p>"Hold," returned Monsieur Roger. "I am going to show you +an example still more convincing of the resistance of the air,—only +I must have a pair of scissors; and if Miss Miette will have +the kindness to——"</p> + +<p>Miss Miette looked again at Monsieur Roger with a singular +air. None the less, she ran off in search of the scissors. Then +Monsieur Roger pulled from his pocket a coin, and with the aid +of the scissors cut a round bit of paper, a little smaller than the +coin. That done, he placed the circular bit of paper flat upon the +coin, in such a manner that it did not overlap, and asked Miss +Miette to take the coin between her thumb and her finger.</p> + +<p>"Now," said he, "let it all fall."</p> + +<p>Miette opened her fingers, and the coin upon which he had +placed the bit of paper fell. Coin and paper reached the ground +at the same time.</p> + +<p>"Why," asked Monsieur Roger, "does the paper reach the +ground as soon as the coin?"</p> + +<p>And as Miette hesitated to answer, Monsieur Roger continued:</p> + +<p>"Because the fall of the bit of paper was not interfered with +by the resistance of the air."</p> + +<p>"Of course," cried Miette, "it is the coin which opened the +way. The paper was preserved by the coin from the resistance +of the air."</p> + +<p>"Exactly so," said Monsieur Roger; "and these simple experiments +have led scientists to ask if in doing away entirely with the +resistance of the air it would not be possible to abolish the differences +which may be observed between the falling of various bodies,—for +instance, the paper and the coin, a hair and a bit of lead. And +they have decided that in a vacuum—that is to say, when the resistance +of the air is abolished—the paper and the coin, the +hair and the lead would fall with exactly the same swiftness; +all of them would traverse the same space in the +same time."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_47_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_47_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"The hair falls as fast as lead," said Miette, in a tone +which seemed to imply, "I would like to see that."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger understood the thought of Miette, +and answered by saying,—</p> + +<p>"Well, I am going to show you that."</p> + +<p>He chose a long tube of glass, closed by bits of metal, +one of which had a stop-cock. He put in this tube the +coin, the round bit of paper, a bit of lead, and a strand +of hair from Miss Miette's head. Then he fastened the +tube by one of its ends upon the disk of the air-pump +and worked the pistons. As soon as he thought that +the vacuum had been made, he closed the stop-cock of +the tube, to prevent the exterior air from entering. He +withdrew the tube from the machine, held it vertically, then turned +it briskly upsidedown. Everybody saw that the paper, the coin, +the hair, and the lead all arrived at the same time at the bottom +of the tube. The experiment was conclusive. Then Monsieur +Roger opened the stop-cock and allowed the air to enter into +the tube. Again he turned the tube upsidedown: the coin +and the bit of lead arrived almost together at the bottom of +the tube, but the paper, and especially the strand of hair, found +much difficulty on the way and arrived at the bottom much later.</p> + +<p>"Why, how amusing that is!" cried Miette; "as amusing as +anything I know. I don't understand why Paul wishes to have +nothing to do with physical science."</p> + +<p>But Miette was mistaken this time, for Paul was now very +anxious to learn more.</p> + +<p>"Very well," said Monsieur Roger, "as all this has not +wearied you, I am, in order to end to-day, going to make another +experiment which will not be a bit tiresome, and which, without +any scientific apparatus, without any air-pump, will demonstrate +to you for the last time the existence of the pressure, of the weight +of the atmosphere."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger stopped and looked at Miette, whose good +temper he was again going to put to the test. Then he said,—</p> + +<p>"I need a carafe and a hard egg; and if Miss Miette will only +be kind enough to——"</p> + +<p>This time Miette seemed still more uneasy than ever, more +embarrassed, more uncomfortable; still, she fled rapidly towards +the kitchen. During her absence, Monsieur Roger said to Madame +Dalize,—</p> + +<p>"Miette seems to think that I trouble her a little too often."</p> + +<p>"That is not what is annoying her, I am certain," replied +Madame Dalize; "but I do not understand the true cause. Let +us wait."</p> + +<p>At this moment Miette returned, with the carafe in one hand, +the hard-boiled egg (it was not boiled very hard, however) in +the other. Monsieur Roger took the shell off the egg and +placed the egg thus deprived of its shell upon the empty carafe, +somewhat after the manner of a stopper or cork.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_48_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_48_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"What I want to do," said he, "is to make this egg enter +the carafe."</p> + +<p>"Very well," said Miette; "all you have to do is to push +from above: you will force the egg down."</p> + +<p>"Oh, but nobody must touch it. It must not be a hand that +forces it down, but by weight from above. No, the atmosphere +must do this."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger took off the egg, and lit a bit of paper, which +he threw into the empty carafe.</p> + +<p>"In order to burn," said he, "this paper is obliged to absorb +the oxygen of the air in the carafe,—that is to say, it makes a +partial vacuum." When the paper had burned for some moments, +Monsieur Roger replaced the egg upon the carafe's neck, very +much in the manner you would place a close-fitting ground-glass +stopper in the neck of a bottle, and immediately they saw the +egg lengthen, penetrate into the neck of the carafe, and at last +fall to the bottom. "There," said he, "is atmospheric pressure +clearly demonstrated. When a partial vacuum had been made in +the carafe,—that is to say, when there was not enough air in it +to counterbalance or resist the pressure of the exterior air,—this +exterior air pressed with all its weight upon the egg and forced +it down in very much the same way as Miss Miette wished me +to do just now with my hand."</p> + +<p>In saying these last words, Monsieur Roger looked towards +Miette.</p> + +<p>"By the way," he said, "I must apologize to you, Miss Miette, +for having sent you on so many errands. I thought I saw that +it annoyed you a little bit."</p> + +<p>Miss Miette raised her eyes with much surprise to Monsieur +Roger.</p> + +<p>"But that was not it at all," said she.</p> + +<p>"Well, what was it?" asked Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<p>And Miette replied timidly, yet sweetly,—</p> + +<p>"Why, I only thought that you might stop calling me Miss. If +you please, I would like to be one of your very good friends."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes; with very great pleasure, my dear little Miette," +cried Monsieur Roger, much moved by this touching and kindly +delicacy of feeling, and opening his arms to the pretty and obliging +little child of his friends.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_49_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_49_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a><br /><span class="sub">WHY THE MOON DOES NOT FALL.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_50_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_50_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>Next evening Monsieur Roger, as well as his friend Monsieur +Dalize, seemed to have forgotten completely that there was such a +thing as physical science. He sat in a corner and chatted about +this thing and that with Monsieur and Madame Dalize. Still, the +air-pump was there, and the children touched it, looked at it, and +examined the different portions of it.</p> + +<p>At last there was a conversation in a low tone between Paul +and Miette, and in the midst of the whispering were heard these +words, clearly pronounced by the lips of Miette,—</p> + +<p>"Ask him yourself."</p> + +<p>Then Monsieur Roger heard Paul answer,—</p> + +<p>"No, I don't dare to."</p> + +<p>Miette then came forward towards her friend Roger, and said +to him, without any hesitation,—</p> + +<p>"Paul asks that you will explain to him about the tower?"</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger remained a moment without understanding, +then a light struck him, and he said,—</p> + +<p>"Ah! Master Paul wants me to explain to him how I learned +the height of the tower Heurtebize?"</p> + +<p>"That is it," said Miette.</p> + +<p>Paul Solange made an affirmative sign by a respectful movement +of the head.</p> + +<p>"But," said Monsieur Roger, responding to this sign, "it is +physical science, my dear Master Paul,—physical science, you +know; and, goodness, I was so much afraid of boring you that +both I and Monsieur Dalize had resolved never to approach this +subject."</p> + +<p>"Still, sir," said Paul, "all that you have said and shown to +us was on account of the tower of Heurtebize, and you promised +me——"</p> + +<p>"That is true," said Monsieur Dalize; "and if you promised, +you must keep your word. So explain to Paul how you have +been able, without moving, to learn the exact height of that +famous tower."</p> + +<p>"Come, then, I obey," answered Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<p>And, addressing himself to Paul, he said,—</p> + +<p>"You will remember that at the beginning of this conversation +on gravity I took a little stone and let it fall from my full +height. It produced a very feeble shock; but I made you remark +that if it were to fall from a greater height the shock would be +violent enough to break it."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Paul, "I remember."</p> + +<p>"Then, of course, you understand that the violence of the +shock of a body against a fixed obstacle depends upon the rate +of speed this body possessed at the moment when it encountered +the obstacle. The higher the distance from which the body falls, +the more violent is the shock,—for its swiftness is greater. Now, +the speed of a falling body becomes greater and greater the longer +it continues to fall; and, consequently, in falling faster and faster +it will traverse a greater and greater space in a given interval +of time. In studying the fall of a body we find that in one second +it traverses a space of sixteen feet and one inch. In falling for +two seconds it traverses——"</p> + +<p>"Twice the number of feet," said Miette, with a self-satisfied +air.</p> + +<p>"Why, no," said Paul; "because it falls faster during the +second second, and in consequence travels a greater distance."</p> + +<p>"Master Paul is right," replied Monsieur Roger. "It has been +found that in falling for two seconds a body falls sixteen feet and +one inch multiplied by twice two,—that is to say, sixty-four feet +and four inches. In falling three seconds a body traverses sixteen +feet and one inch multiplied by three times three,—that is to say, +by nine. In falling four seconds it traverses sixteen feet and one +inch multiplied by four times four,—that is to say, by sixteen; +and so on. This law of falling bodies which learned men have +discovered teaches us that in order to calculate the space traversed +by a body in a certain number of seconds it is necessary to multiply +sixteen feet and one inch by the arithmetical square of that number +of seconds. And Master Paul must know, besides, that the square +of a number is the product obtained by multiplying this number +by itself."</p> + +<p>Paul bent his head.</p> + +<p>"And now you must also know," continued Monsieur Roger, +"how I could calculate the height of the tower of Heurtebize. +The stone which you let fall, according to my watch, took two +seconds before it reached the soil. The calculation which I had +to make was easy, was it not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir: it was necessary to multiply sixteen feet and one +inch by two times two,—which gives about sixty-four feet and +four inches as the height of the tower."</p> + +<p>"You are right, and, as you may judge, it was not a very +difficult problem."</p> + +<p>"Yes," added Monsieur Dalize; "but it was interesting to +know why the apple fell, and you have taught us."</p> + +<p>"That is true," cried Miette; "only you have forgotten to tell +us why the moon does not fall."</p> + +<p>"I have not forgotten," said Monsieur Roger; "but I wished +to avoid speaking of the attraction of the universe. However, +as Miette obliges me, I shall speak. You see that all earthly +bodies are subject to a force which has been called gravity, or +weight. Now, gravity can also be called attraction. By the word +attraction is meant, in fact, the force which makes all bodies come +mutually together and adhere together, unless they are separated +by some other force. This gravity or attraction which the terrestrial +mass exerts upon the objects placed on its surface is felt +above the soil to a height that cannot be measured. Learned men +have, therefore, been led to suppose that this gravity or attraction +extended beyond the limits which we can reach; that it acted upon +the stars themselves, only decreasing as they are farther off. This +supposition allows it to be believed that all the stars are of similar +phenomena, that there is a gravity or attraction on their surface, +and that this gravity or attraction acts upon all other celestial +bodies. With this frame of thought in his mind, Newton at last +came to believe that all bodies attract each other by the force of +gravity, that their movements are determined by the force which +they exert mutually upon one another, and that the system of the +universe is regulated by a single force,—gravity, or attraction."</p> + +<p>"But that does not explain to us why the moon does not +fall," said Monsieur Dalize.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger looked at his friend.</p> + +<p>"So you also," said he, smiling,—"you also are trying to puzzle +me?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I am; but I am only repeating the question whose +answer Miette is still awaiting."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Miette, "I am waiting. Why does not the moon +fall?"</p> + +<p>"Well, the moon does not fall because it is launched into +space with so great a force that it traverses nearly four-fifths of +a mile a second."</p> + +<p>Miette ran to open the door of the vestibule. The park was +bathed in the mild light of a splendid moon.</p> + +<p>"Is it of that moon that you are speaking,—the moon which +turns around us?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, as we have no other moon."</p> + +<p>"And it turns as swiftly as you say?"</p> + +<p>"Why, yes. And do you know why it turns around us, a +prisoner of that earth from which it seeks continually to fly in a +straight line? It is because——"</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger stopped suddenly, with an embarrassed air.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?" asked Miette.</p> + +<p>"Why, I am afraid I have put myself in a very difficult position."</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_51_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_51_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"I have just undertaken to tell you why the moon does not fall. +Is not that true?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Well, I am obliged to tell you that it does fall."</p> + +<p>"Ah, that is another matter!" cried Miette.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it is another matter, as you say; and it is necessary +that I should speak to you of that other matter. Without that +how can I make you believe that the moon does not fall and that +it does fall?"</p> + +<p>"That would not be easy," said Miss Miette.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, imagine a ball shot by a cannon. This ball +would go forever in a straight line and with the same swiftness +if it were not subject to gravity, to the attraction of the earth. +This attraction forces the ball to lower itself little by little below +the straight line to approach the earth. At last the time comes +when the force of attraction conquers the force which shot the +ball, and the latter falls to the earth. This example of the ball +may be applied to the moon, which would go forever in a straight +line if it were not subject to the attraction of the earth. It shoots +in a straight line, ready to flee away from us; but suddenly the +attraction of the earth makes itself felt. Then the moon bends +downward to approach us, and the straight line which it had +been ready to traverse is changed to the arc of a circle. Again +the moon endeavors to depart in a straight line, but the attraction +is felt again, and brings near to us our unfaithful satellite. +The same phenomenon goes on forever, and the straight path +which the moon intended to follow becomes a circular one. It +falls in every instance towards us, but it falls with exactly +the same swiftness as that with which it seeks to get away from +us. Consequently it remains always at the same distance. +The attraction which prevents the moon from running away +may be likened to a string tied to the claws of a cockchafer. +The cockchafer flies, seeking to free itself; the string pulls it +back towards the child's finger; and very often the circular +flight which the insect takes around the finger which holds it +represents exactly the circular flight of the moon around the +earth."</p> + +<p>"But," said Miette, "is there no danger that the moon may +fall some time?"</p> + +<p>"If the moon had been closer to the earth it would have fallen +long ago; but it is more than two hundred and thirty-eight thousand +miles away, and, as I have told you, if attraction or gravity acts +upon the planets, it loses its power in proportion to the distance +at which they are. The same attraction which forces the moon +to turn around the earth obliges the earth and the planets to turn +around the sun; and the sun itself is not immovable. It flies +through space like all the other stars, bearing us in its train, +subject also to universal attraction."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger stopped a moment, then he said,—</p> + +<p>"And it is this great law of universal attraction, this law which +governs the universe, that Newton discovered when he asked +himself, 'Why does the apple fall?'"</p> + +<p>"Still, as for me," said Miette, "I should not have had that +idea at all; I should have said quietly to myself, 'The apple fell +because it was ripe.'"</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + <a href="images/illustration_52_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_52_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</a><br /><span class="sub">A MYSTERIOUS RESEMBLANCE.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + <a href="images/illustration_53_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_53_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>The days passed by at the château of Sainte-Gemme quietly +and happily. Monsieur Roger, having fulfilled his promise to give +the explanation of gravity and of attraction, was careful to make no +allusions to scientific matters. He thought it useful and right to +let his little hearers find their own pleasures wherever they could. +One afternoon he saw Miette and Paul leave the house together. +Paul had two camp-stools, while Miette held her friend's album.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going?" asked Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<p>"We are going to sketch," answered Paul: "at the end of +the park."</p> + +<p>Miette put on the air of a martyr, and said to Monsieur Roger,—</p> + +<p>"I think he is going to sketch me."</p> + +<p>"Not at all; come along," replied Paul.</p> + +<p>And Miette ran gayly after Paul.</p> + +<p>An hour later, Monsieur Roger, in his walk, saw at the turning +of a pathway lined by young chestnut-trees a scene which brought +a smile to his lips. Two camp-stools were placed in front of each +other, some distance apart; upon one of these camp-stools Paul +was seated, his album and his pencil between his hands; on the +other camp-stool was Miss Miette, posing for a portrait. Monsieur +Roger approached.</p> + +<p>When Miette saw him, she sat up, and, crossing her little arms, +cried, with pretended anger,—</p> + +<p>"I told you so: he is going to sketch me."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Miette," said Paul, softly, "you have spoiled the pose."</p> + +<p>Miette turned towards Paul, and, seeing that she had made +him angry, returned to her former attitude without saying a word. +Monsieur Roger looked at Miette, so pretty, so restless by disposition, +now forcing herself to sit quietly, with an expression of +determination upon her face that was half serious and half laughing. +Then he cast his eyes upon Paul's album, but at that moment +Paul was scratching over with his pencil the sketch which he had +begun.</p> + +<p>"Never," said he, discouraged, "never shall I be able to catch +her likeness."</p> + +<p>"That is not astonishing," replied Monsieur Roger. "I was +struck at once with the change in her face. Miette in posing +does not resemble herself any longer."</p> + +<p>"That is true, sir; but why is it?"</p> + +<p>"Why, because it is possible that it does not amuse her very +much."</p> + +<p>Miette began to laugh. Monsieur Roger had guessed aright.</p> + +<p>"Oh, stay like that!" cried Paul, seeing Miette's face lighten +up with gayety.</p> + +<p>"I will remain like this on one condition."</p> + +<p>"And what is that?"</p> + +<p>"That our friend Roger will remain also with us. I shall +have some one to whom I can talk, and you, Paul, will make your +sketch at your ease."</p> + +<p>"That is understood," said Monsieur Roger, seating himself +upon a bank of stones beside the children. At first he lent a +rather listless ear to Miette's words, for he was thinking of something +else, and he only uttered a word or two in answer, which, +however, allowed the little girl to think that she was being listened +to. His eyes had travelled from the model to the artist. Since +his arrival at Sainte-Gemme Paul's face had slightly changed: his +hair, which had been cut short at school, had lengthened, and now +fell over his forehead, shading the top of his face and giving him +an expression that was slightly feminine; his large eyes, with long, +black lashes, went from Miette to the sketch-book with a grave +attention which the presence of a third party did not trouble at all. +Roger's looks had rested upon Paul, full of that sympathy which the +boy had inspired in him the first time he had seen him; but, instead +of looking elsewhere at the end of a few minutes, his eyes were +riveted upon Paul's face. He eagerly examined every feature of that +face, which had suddenly been revealed to him under a new aspect. +He had become very pale, and his hands trembled slightly. Miette +perceived this sudden change, and, full of uneasiness, cried out,—</p> + +<p>"Why, what is the matter?"</p> + +<p>Recalled to himself by this exclamation, Monsieur Roger shook +his head, passed his hand over his eyes, and answered, striving to +smile,—</p> + +<p>"Why, there is nothing the matter with me, my dear, except +a slight dizziness, caused by the sun no doubt. Don't be uneasy +about me. I am going back home."</p> + +<p>And Monsieur Roger left them at a rapid pace, cutting across +the pathway to get out of sight of the children. He walked like +a crazy man; his eyes were wild, his brain full of a strange and +impossible idea. When he had reached the other end of the park, +sure of being alone, sure of not being seen, he stopped; but then +he felt weak, and he allowed himself to fall upon the grass. For +a long time he remained motionless, plunged in thought. At last +he got up, murmuring,—</p> + +<p>"Why, that is impossible. I was a fool."</p> + +<p>He was himself again. He had thought over everything, he +had weighed everything, and he persuaded himself that he had +been the plaything of a singular hallucination. Still reasoning, +still talking to himself, he took no notice of where he was going. +Suddenly he perceived that he was returning to the spot which +he had left. He stopped, and heard the voice of Miette in the +distance; then he approached as softly as was possible, walking +on tiptoe and avoiding the gravel and the falling leaves. One +wish filled his heart,—to see Paul again without being seen. He +walked through the woods towards the side whence the voice had +made itself heard. The voice of Miette, now very close, said,—</p> + +<p>"Let's see, Paul. Is it finished?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Paul; "only two minutes more. And this +time, thanks to Monsieur Roger, it will be something like you."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger, hidden behind branches and leaves, came +nearer, redoubling his precautions. At last, through an opening in +the foliage he perceived Paul Solange. He looked at him with +profound attention until the lad, having started off with Miette, +was some distance away. When the two children had disappeared, +Monsieur Roger took the shaded path he had been following and +went towards the château. He walked slowly, his head bent down, +his mind a prey to mysterious thoughts. He had seen Paul again, +and had studied his face, this time appealing to all his coolness, to +all his reasoning power. And now a violent, unconquerable emotion +bound him. In vain he tried in his sincerity to believe in a +too happy and weak illusion, in a too ardent desire, realized only +in his imagination. No, he was forced to admit that what he had +just beheld had been seen with the eyes of a reasoning and thinking +man whose brain was clear and whose mind was not disordered. +However, this thought which had taken possession of him, this +overwhelming idea of happiness, was it even admissible? And +Monsieur Roger, striving to return to the reality, murmured,—</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + <a href="images/illustration_54_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_54_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"It is folly! it is folly!"</p> + +<p>Was it not in fact folly which had led him suddenly to recognize +in the features of Paul Solange those of Madame Roger La Morlière? +Was it not folly to have noticed a mysterious, surprising, +and extraordinary resemblance between the face of Paul Solange +and the sweet one of her who had been the mother of George? +Yes, it was madness, it was impossible. Yet, in spite of all, Monsieur +Roger said to himself, deep down in his heart,—</p> + +<p>"If it were my son?"</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + <a href="images/illustration_55_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_55_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX.</a><br /><span class="sub">THE FIXED IDEA.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + <a href="images/illustration_56_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_56_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>For some days Monsieur Roger made no allusion to the secret +which now filled his soul, nor to that strange idea which filled his +whole brain. He retired into himself, thinking that this folly which +had suddenly come to him would go away as suddenly, and again +feeling, in spite of all, the certain loss of a dream which had made +him so happy. And still, the more he looked at Paul, which he +did only on the sly, not daring to look him in the face, as formerly, +for fear of betraying himself, the more and more evident and real +did the mysterious resemblance appear to him. The Dalize family +had remarked the absence of mind and the wandering look of Monsieur +Roger. Still, they thought that that was simply because +something had reminded him of his sorrows. Even Paul could +not help taking notice of the new attitude which Monsieur Roger +had taken up with regard to him. The kindness and sympathy +which Monsieur Roger had shown him in the first few days of his +acquaintance had greatly touched the motherless boy, whose father +was far away on the other side of the ocean.</p> + +<p>Now, for some days, it had seemed to Paul that Monsieur +Roger sought to avoid his presence,—he neither spoke to him nor +looked at him. Once only Paul had surprised a look which Monsieur +Roger had given him, and in this sad look he had discovered +an affection so profound that it felt to him almost like a paternal +caress. Yet, Paul was forced to acknowledge that his father had +never looked at him in that way.</p> + +<p>One evening, after dinner, Monsieur Dalize led his friend Roger +into the garden in front of the house, and said to him,—</p> + +<p>"Roger, my dear friend, you have made us uneasy for some +days. Now we are alone. What is the matter with you?"</p> + +<p>"Why, nothing is the matter with me," said Monsieur Roger, +surprised at the question.</p> + +<p>"Why, certainly, something is the matter. What has happened +to you?"</p> + +<p>"I don't understand what you mean?"</p> + +<p>"Roger, you oblige me to tread on delicate ground,—to ask +you a painful question."</p> + +<p>"Speak."</p> + +<p>"Well, my dear friend, the change which we have noticed in +you for some time is not my fault, is it? Or does it come from +the surroundings in which you find yourself placed?"</p> + +<p>"I don't understand."</p> + +<p>"I ask if your grief—without your knowing it, perhaps—may not +have been revived by the happiness which reigns around you? Perhaps +the presence of these children, who nevertheless love you +already almost as much as they do me, awakes in your heart a +terrible remembrance and cruel regrets?"</p> + +<p>"No, no," cried Monsieur Roger; "that is not true. But why +do you ask me such questions?"</p> + +<p>"Because, my dear friend, you are mentally ill, and I wish to +cure you."</p> + +<p>"Why, no, I am not. I am not ill either mentally or physically, +I swear."</p> + +<p>"Don't swear," said Monsieur Dalize; "and do me the kindness +to hide yourself for some moments behind this clump of +trees. I have witnesses who will convince you that I still have good +eyes."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize got up, opened the door of the vestibule, and +called Miette. She ran out gayly.</p> + +<p>"What do you wish, papa?" she said.</p> + +<p>"I want to see our friend Roger. Is he not in the parlor with +you?"</p> + +<p>"No; he always goes his own way. He does not talk to us +any longer; and he has had a very funny, sad look for some time. +He is not the same at all."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + <a href="images/illustration_57_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_57_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"Very well, my child," said Monsieur Dalize, interrupting the +little girl. "Go back to the parlor and send me your brother."</p> + +<p>Albert soon arrived.</p> + +<p>"You wanted me, father?" said he.</p> + +<p>"Yes; I want you to repeat to me what you told your mother +this morning."</p> + +<p>Albert thought for a moment; then he said,—</p> + +<p>"About Monsieur Roger?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Well, I told mamma that for some time back I have heard +Monsieur Roger walking all night in his room; only this evening I +heard him crying."</p> + +<p>"That is all that I wish to know, my child. You can go back +again."</p> + +<p>When Monsieur Dalize was alone, he walked around the clump +of trees to rejoin Roger.</p> + +<p>"Well," said he, softly, "you have heard. Everybody has +noticed your grief. Won't you tell me now what it is that you are +suffering, or what secret is torturing you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I will confide this secret to you," said Monsieur Roger, +"because you will understand me, and you will not laugh at your +unhappy friend." And Monsieur Roger told the whole truth to +his friend Dalize. He told him what a singular fixed idea had +possessed his brain; he told him of the strange resemblance which +he thought he had discovered between the features of his dear and +regretted wife and the face of Paul Solange.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize let his friend pour out his soul to him. He +said only, with pitying affection, when Monsieur Roger had +finished,—</p> + +<p>"My poor friend! it is a dream that is very near insanity."</p> + +<p>"Alas! that is what I tell myself; and still——"</p> + +<p>"And still?" repeated Monsieur Dalize. "You still doubt? +Come with me."</p> + +<p>He re-entered the château with Roger. When he reached the +parlor he went straight to Paul Solange.</p> + +<p>"Paul," said he, "to-morrow is the mail, and I shall write to +your father."</p> + +<p>"Ah, sir," answered Paul, "I will give you my letter; maybe +you can put it in yours."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize seemed to be trying to think of something.</p> + +<p>"How long a time is it," said he, "since I have had the pleasure +of seeing your excellent father?"</p> + +<p>"Two years, sir; but he will surely come to France this +winter."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize looked at Roger; then he whispered in his ear,—</p> + +<p>"You have heard."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + <a href="images/illustration_58_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_58_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX.</a><br /><span class="sub">FIRE.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + <a href="images/illustration_59_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_59_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>Certainly Monsieur Roger had heard, certainly he tried to +convince himself; but when his looks fell upon Paul, his reason +forsook him and he doubted again, and even he hoped. Some +days passed in a semi-sadness that made every one feel uneasy. +The children, without knowing why, knew that something had happened +which troubled the mutual happiness of their life. Monsieur +and Madame Dalize alone understood and pitied their friend Roger. +They endeavored to interest him in other things,—but Monsieur +Roger refused walks, excursions, and the invitations of the neighbors. +He had asked Monsieur Dalize to let him alone for a while, +as he felt the need of solitude.</p> + +<p>One morning Albert said to his father,—</p> + +<p>"Father, Paul and I wish to go with a fishing-party to the farm, +as we did last year. Will you allow us to do so?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Monsieur Dalize; "but on one condition."</p> + +<p>"What is it?"</p> + +<p>"That you take Monsieur Roger with you."</p> + +<p>Albert looked at his father, and answered,—</p> + +<p>"Then you refuse?"</p> + +<p>"Why, no,—I only make that condition."</p> + +<p>"Yes, father; but as we cannot fulfil the condition, it is equal +to a refusal."</p> + +<p>"Why cannot you fulfil it? What is there so difficult about +it?"</p> + +<p>"You know as well as I, my dear father, Monsieur Roger has +been for some time very sad, very preoccupied; he wants to remain +by himself, and consequently he will refuse to go to the farm."</p> + +<p>"Who knows?"</p> + +<p>"Well, at all events, I would not dare to ask him."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, let Paul do it."</p> + +<p>"But what would Paul say?"</p> + +<p>"He will say that I am detained here, that I cannot come with +you, and that, not thinking it prudent to allow you to go fishing +alone, I object to it unless Monsieur Roger will consent to take +my place."</p> + +<p>"Very well, father," said Albert, in a disappointed tone. "We +will see whether Paul succeeds; but I am afraid he will not."</p> + +<p>But Paul did succeed. Monsieur Roger could not resist the +request so pleasantly made by the boy. That evening, after dinner, +they left home to sleep at the farm, which was situated on the +borders of the River Yonne. They had to get up at daybreak in +order to begin their fishing. The farmers gave up to Monsieur +Roger the only spare room they had in the house. Albert and +Paul had to sleep in what they called the turret. This turret, the +last mossy vestige of the feudal castle, whose very windows were +old loop-holes, now furnished with panes of glass, stood against +one end of the farm-house. It was divided into three stories: +the first story was a place where they kept hay and straw; in the +second there slept a young farm-boy; the higher story was reserved +for another servant, who was just now absent.</p> + +<p>"In war we must do as the warriors do," cried Albert, gayly; +"besides, we have not so long to sleep. You may take whichever +room you like the best."</p> + +<p>"I will take the highest story, if you are willing," answered +Paul; "the view must be beautiful."</p> + +<p>"Oh, the view! through the loop-holes and their blackened +glasses! However, you can climb up on the old platform of the +turret if you wish. It is covered with zinc, like the roof of an +ordinary house; but, all the same, one can walk upon it. Come, +I will show it to you."</p> + +<p>The wooden staircase was easily ascended by the boys. When +they had reached the room which Paul was to occupy, Albert +pointed his hand towards the ceiling and made Paul remark a +large bolt.</p> + +<p>"See," said he: "you have only to get upon a chair to draw +this bolt and to push the trap-door, which gives admission to the +turret. On the roof you will, in fact, see a beautiful view."</p> + +<p>"I shall do that to-morrow morning, when I get up," answered +Paul.</p> + +<p>Albert, after he had said good-night to his friend, descended +the staircase and slept in the bed which the farm-boy had yielded +to him; the latter was to spend the night upon a bed of hay +in the first story.</p> + +<p>A distant clock in the country had struck twelve. Monsieur +Roger had opened the window of his room, and, being unable +to sleep, was thinking, still the prey to the fixed idea, still occupied +by the strange resemblance; and now the two names of Paul and +George mingled together in his mind and were applied only to the +one and the same dear being. Suddenly the odor of smoke came +to him, brought on the breeze. In the cloudy night he saw nothing, +and still the smoke grew more and more distinct. Every one was +asleep at the farm: no light was burning, no sound was heard. +Monsieur Roger bent over the window-sill and looked uneasily +around him. The loop-holes of the lower story of the turret were +illuminated; then sparks escaped from it, soon followed by jets +of flame. At the same instant the wooden door which opened +into the yard was violently burst open, and Monsieur Roger saw +two young people in their night-gowns fleeing together and crying +with a loud voice. This was all so quick that Monsieur Roger +had had neither the time nor the thought of calling for help. A +spasm of fear had seized him, which was calmed, now that Paul +and Albert were safe; but the alarm had been given, and the farm-hands +had awakened. But what help could they expect? The +nearest village was six miles off; the turret would be burned before +the engines could arrive. Monsieur Roger had run out with the +others to witness this fire which they could not extinguish. He +held Albert in his arms, embraced him, and said to him,—</p> + +<p>"But, tell me, where is Paul?"</p> + +<p>Albert looked around him.</p> + +<p>"He must be here,—unless fright has made him run away."</p> + +<p>"No, he is not here. But you are sure that he ran out of the +tower, are you not?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, since it was he who came and shook me in my bed +while I was asleep."</p> + +<p>At this moment a young boy in a night-gown came out of the +crowd, and, approaching Albert, said,—</p> + +<p>"No; it was I, sir, who shook you."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger looked at the boy who had just spoken, and +he felt a horrible fear take possession of him. He saw that it +was the farm-boy. It must have been he whom he had seen fleeing +a moment before with Albert. But Paul? Had he remained +in the turret? And the flames which licked the walls had almost +reached the floor where Paul was sleeping. Was the poor boy +still asleep? Had he heard nothing?</p> + +<p>"A ladder!" cried Monsieur Roger, with a cry of fear and +despair.</p> + +<p>The ladder was immediately brought; but it was impossible +to place it against the turret, whose base was in flames.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger in a second had examined the battlements +which composed the roof. He ran towards the farm-house, climbed +up the staircase to the top story, opened a trap-door, and found +himself upon the roof. Crawling on his hands and knees, following +the ridge of the roof, he reached the turret, and found himself +even with the story where Paul Solange was asleep. The loop-hole +was before him. With a blow of his elbow he broke the +glass; then he cried,—</p> + +<p>"Paul! Paul!"</p> + +<p>Below the people looked at him in mournful silence. No reply +came from the room; he could see nothing through the darkness. +Monsieur Roger had a gleam of hope: Paul must have escaped. +But a sheet of fire higher than the others threw a sudden light +through the loop-hole on the other side.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger was seized with indescribable anguish. Paul +Solange was there in his bed. Was he asleep? Monsieur Roger +cried out anew with all his force. Paul remained motionless. +Then Monsieur Roger leaned over the roof, and said to the +people below,—</p> + +<p>"Cry at the top of your voices! Make a noise!"</p> + +<p>But the next moment he made a sign to them to be silent,—for +Monsieur Roger had felt somebody crawling behind him, somebody +who had followed his perilous path. It was Albert Dalize.</p> + +<p>"Oh, my friend,—my poor friend!" cried Monsieur Roger; +"what can we do? Is it not enough to make you crazy? See! +the staircase is in flames. You can hardly pass your arm through +the loop-holes. Whether he wakes or not, he is lost." And then +he said, with an awful gravity, "Then, it is better he should not +awake."</p> + +<p>"No," replied Albert, quickly; "there is an opening at the +top of the tower."</p> + +<p>"There is an opening?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, a trap-door, which I showed him only a little while ago, +before we went to sleep."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger raised himself upon the roof to a standing +position.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing?" cried Albert.</p> + +<p>"I am going to try to reach the top of the tower."</p> + +<p>"It is useless; the bolt opens in the room. Paul only can +open it."</p> + +<p>"Paul can open it."</p> + +<p>"If he awakes. But how is it he does not awake?"</p> + +<p>And in his turn Albert called to his friend.</p> + +<p>Paul made no movement. The flames were gaining, growing +more and more light, and the smoke was filtering through the +plank floor and filling the room.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + <a href="images/illustration_60_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_60_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"Ah, I understand," cried Monsieur Roger, "I understand: he +is not sleeping. That is not sleep,—that is asphyxia."</p> + +<p>"Asphyxia?" repeated Albert, in a voice choked with fear.</p> + +<p>The scene was terrible. There was the boy, a prisoner, who +was going to die under the eyes of those who loved him, and separated +from them solely by a circle of stone and of fire,—a circle +which they could not cross. He was going to die without any +knowledge that he was dying. Asphyxia held him in a death-like +trance. Albert saw the floor of the room crack and a tongue +of flame shoot up, which lighted up the sleeping face of Paul Solange. +Then he heard a strange cry from a terrified and awful voice. The +voice cried,—</p> + +<p>"George! George!"</p> + +<p>And it was Monsieur Roger who had twice called that name.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_61_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_61_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI.</a><br /><span class="sub">SAVED.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_62_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_62_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>Albert still looked. Then he saw Paul Solange raise himself +upon his bed, and, seeing the fire, pass his hands over his eyes +and his forehead, jump to the floor, reflect a moment, as if endeavoring +to remember something, then seize a chair, get upon it, and +pull the bolt of the trap-door. At the same time he remarked that +Monsieur Roger was no longer near him. Braving the danger, +Monsieur Roger had jumped from the roof, and succeeded in reaching +the top of the turret; and now it was he who pulled Paul from +the trap-door and gathered him up in his arms. The boy had +fainted. Obeying an order shouted by Albert, two farm-boys +trusted themselves upon the roof, bringing with them a ladder +and ropes. Then Monsieur Roger was able to come down with +his precious burden.</p> + +<p>Albert lent his aid to the rescuer, and Paul was taken down +into the yard. At this moment a carriage arrived, which had +been driving at the top of its speed. It stopped at the door of +the farm-house. Monsieur Dalize appeared. From the château +the flames had been seen by a watchman, who had gone to awake +his master. Monsieur Dalize, understanding the danger, frightened +at what might be happening over there in that farm-house on fire, +under that roof which sheltered his child, his best friend, and Paul +Solange, had immediately harnessed a horse, with the aid of the +watchman, and, telling him to say nothing to Madame Dalize, had +departed at the top of his speed. He arrived in time to see Monsieur +Roger and Albert, who were bearing Paul with them. He +approached, trembling.</p> + +<p>"Paul!" he cried.</p> + +<p>"Calm yourself," Monsieur Roger hastened to say: "he has +only fainted. It is nothing; but we shall have to take him home."</p> + +<p>"The carriage is ready."</p> + +<p>"Then everything is for the best."</p> + +<p>Paul was seated in the carriage, between Albert and Monsieur +Roger. The latter had placed his left arm under Paul's head to +sustain him. The poor child was still insensible; but there could +be no better remedy for him than the fresh air of the night,—the +fresh air which the rapid movement of the carriage caused to +penetrate into his lungs. Monsieur Dalize, who drove, turned +around frequently, looking at Roger. The latter held in his right +hand Paul Solange's hand, and from time to time placed his ear +against the boy's breast.</p> + +<p>"Well?" said Monsieur Dalize, anxiously.</p> + +<p>"His pulse is still insensible," answered Monsieur Roger; "but +stop your horse for a moment."</p> + +<p>The carriage stopped. Then, being no longer interfered with +by the noise, Monsieur Roger again applied his ear, and said,—</p> + +<p>"His heart beats; it beats very feebly, but it beats. Now +go ahead."</p> + +<p>Again the carriage started. At the end of some minutes, Monsieur +Roger, who still held Paul's wrist between his fingers, suddenly +felt beneath the pulsations of the radial artery. He cried +out, with a loud voice, but it was a cry of joy,—</p> + +<p>"He is saved!" he said to Monsieur Dalize.</p> + +<p>At that very moment Paul Solange opened his eyes; but he +closed them again, as if a heavy sleep, stronger than his will, were +weighing upon his eyelids. Again he opened them, and looked +with an undecided look, without understanding. At that moment +they arrived at the house. Everybody was on foot. The fire at +the farm had been perceived by others besides the watchman. They +had all risen from their beds, and Madame Dalize, awakened by +the noise, had, unfortunately, learned the terrible news. She was +awaiting in cruel agony the return of her husband. At last she +saw him driving the carriage and bringing with him the beings who +were dear to her. Paul, leaning on the arms of Monsieur Roger +and Albert, was able to cross the slight distance which separated +them from the vestibule. There Monsieur Roger made him sit +down in an arm-chair, near the window, which he opened wide. +Monsieur and Madame Dalize and Albert stood beside Paul, looking +at him silently and uneasily; but they were reassured by the +expression of Monsieur Roger. With common accord they left +him the care of his dear patient. Monsieur Roger was looking +at Paul with tender eyes,—an expression of happiness, of joy, +illumined his face: and this expression, which Monsieur Dalize +had not seen for long years upon the face of his friend, seemed to +him incomprehensible, for he was still ignorant of the extraordinary +thing that had happened. At this moment, Miss Miette, in her +night-cap, hardly taking time to dress herself, rushed into the +vestibule. Her childish sleep had been interrupted by the tumult +in the house. She had run down half awake.</p> + +<p>"Mamma, Mamma," she cried, "what is the matter?"</p> + +<p>Then, as she ran to throw herself upon her mother's knees, +she saw the arm-chair and Paul sitting in it. She stopped at once, +and, before they had the time or the thought of stopping her, she +had taken Paul's hands, saying to him, very sadly,—</p> + +<p>"Paul, Paul, are you sick?"</p> + +<p>Paul's eyes, which until this time had remained clouded and +as if fixed upon something which he could not see, turned to Miette. +Little by little they brightened as his senses returned to him: his +eyes commenced to sparkle. He looked, and, with a soft but +weary voice, he murmured,—</p> + +<p>"Miette, my little Miette."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_63_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_63_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>Then he turned his head, trying to find out where it was he +found himself, who were the people around him.</p> + +<p>"What has happened?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Nobody dared to answer. Everybody waited for Monsieur +Roger; but Monsieur Roger kept silent. He let nature take care +of itself. Indeed, he even hid himself slightly behind Monsieur +Dalize. Paul's looks passed over the faces which were in front +or beside him; but they did not stop there: they seemed to look +for something or some one which they did not meet. Then, with +a sudden movement, Paul bent over a little. He saw Monsieur +Roger; he started; the blood came back to his face; he tried to +speak, and could only let fall a few confused words. But, though +they could not understand his words, what they did understand was +his gesture. He held out his arms towards Monsieur Roger. The +latter advanced and clasped Paul Solange in a fatherly embrace.</p> + +<p>The effort made by the sick boy had wearied him. He closed his +eyes in sleep; but this time it was a healthy sleep, a refreshing sleep.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger and Monsieur Dalize took the sleeping Paul +up to his room. And Miss Miette, as she regained her boudoir, +said to herself, with astonishment,—</p> + +<p>"It is extraordinary! Monsieur Roger embraced Paul as if he +were his papa."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_64_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_64_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII.</a><br /><span class="sub">GEORGE! GEORGE!</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_65_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_65_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>Monsieur Roger stayed up all the remainder of that night by +the side of Paul, whose sleep was calm and dreamless, like the +sleep which succeeds to some strong emotion, some great fatigue. +Paul was still sleeping in the morning when Monsieur Dalize softly +turned the handle of the door and entered the room on tiptoe. His +entrance was made with so much precaution that Monsieur Roger +himself did not hear him.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize had some seconds in which to observe Roger. +He saw him sitting beside the bed, his eyes fixed upon the child, +in a thoughtful attitude. Monsieur Roger was studying the delicate +face which lay upon the pillow. He examined its features one by +one, and, thinking himself alone, thinking that he would not be +interrupted in this examination, he was calling up the mysterious +resemblance with which he had already acquainted his friend. But +he had not just now begun this study,—he had pursued it all night. +The light, however, of the lowered lamp had not been favorable, +and the emotion which he felt agitated him still too much to leave +his judgment clear. When the morning sun had risen, chasing +away all the vague images of the darkness and the doubts of the +mind. Roger, having recovered his composure, looked at the +child whom he had saved, and asked himself if the child was not +his own. He was drawn from these reflections by feeling himself +touched upon the shoulder. Monsieur Dalize had approached +and asked,—</p> + +<p>"Has he passed a good night?"</p> + +<p>"Excellent," answered Monsieur Roger, in a low tone; "but +we must let him sleep as long as he can. Give orders that no +noise shall be made around here and that no one shall enter. He +must awake of his own accord. When he awakes he will only feel +a slight fatigue."</p> + +<p>"Then I am going to give these orders and tell the good +news," said Monsieur Dalize.</p> + +<p>He retired as softly as he had entered, but by accident, near +the door, he stumbled against a chair. He stopped, holding his +breath; but Roger made a sign that he could go on. The slight +noise had not awakened Paul, or at least had not awakened him +completely; he had turned around upon his bed for the first time +since he had been placed there. Monsieur Roger, who never +took his eyes off him, understood that he was dreaming. The +dream seemed to be a painful one, for some feeble groans and +murmurs escaped him. Then upon the face of the sleeping child +appeared an expression of great fear. Monsieur Roger did not +wish to leave Paul a prey to such a dream. He approached near +to raise him a little upon the bed. The moment that Monsieur +Roger's two hands softly touched Paul's head, the expression +of fear disappeared, the features became quiet and calm, the +groans ceased, and suddenly there escaped his lips the single word +"Papa."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger started. With his trembling hands he still +sustained the child; he bent over, ready to embrace him, forgetting +that the child was sleeping and dreaming. Monsieur Roger was +about to utter the name which choked him,—"My son."</p> + +<p>Then Paul Solange opened his eyes. He looked up dreamily; +then he recognized the face before him, and surprise mingled with +affection in his tones.</p> + +<p>"Monsieur Roger!" he said.</p> + +<p>He looked around him, saw that he was in his own room, and +remembered nothing else. He asked,—</p> + +<p>"Why are you here, Monsieur Roger?"</p> + +<p>Mastering himself, Monsieur Roger answered that he had come +to find out how Paul was, as he had seen him suffering the night +before.</p> + +<p>"I, suffering?" asked Paul. Then he sought to remember, and, +all of a sudden, he cried, "The fire over there at the farm!"</p> + +<p>Although his memory had not entirely returned, he recollected +something. He hesitated to speak. Then, with an anxious voice, +he asked,—</p> + +<p>"And Albert?"</p> + +<p>"Albert," answered Monsieur Roger, "he is below; and everybody +is waiting until you come down to breakfast."</p> + +<p>"Then there were no accidents?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"How fortunate! I will dress myself and be down in a minute."</p> + +<p>And, in fact, in a few minutes Paul was ready, and descended +leaning on Monsieur Roger's arm.</p> + +<p>The latter, as they entered the dining-room, made a sign to +them that they should all keep silence: he did not wish that they +should fatigue the tired mind of the child with premature questions; +but when they were sitting at the table, Paul, addressing Albert, +said,—</p> + +<p>"Tell me what passed last night. It is strange I scarcely +remember."</p> + +<p>"No," said Madame Dalize: "we are at table for breakfast, +and we have all need for food,—you, Paul, above all. Come, +now, let us eat; a little later we may talk."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_66_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_66_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"It is well said," said Monsieur Dalize.</p> + +<p>There was nothing to do but to obey. And, indeed, Paul was +glad to do so, for he was very hungry. He had lost so much +strength that the stomach for the moment was more interesting to +him than the brain. They breakfasted, and then they went out upon +the lawn before the château, under a large walnut-tree, which every +day gave its hospitable shade to the Dalize family and their guests.</p> + +<p>"Well, my dear Paul," said Monsieur Dalize, "how are you at +present?"</p> + +<p>"Very well, indeed, sir, very well," answered Paul. "I was +a little feeble when I first awoke, but now,—now——"</p> + +<p>He stopped speaking; he seemed lost in thought.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?" asked Albert.</p> + +<p>"I am thinking of last night at the farm,—the fire."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that was nothing," said Albert.</p> + +<p>"But," continued Paul, "how did we get back here?"</p> + +<p>"In the carriage. Father came for us and brought us home."</p> + +<p>"And how did we leave the farm?"</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger followed with rapt attention the workings of +Paul's memory. He was waiting in burning anxiety the moment +when Paul should remember. One principal fact, only one thing +occupied his attention. Would Paul remember how and by whom +he had been borne from the torpor which was strangling him? +Would he remember that cry,—that name which had had the miraculous +power to awake him, to bring him back to life? If Paul remembered +that, then, perhaps—— And again Monsieur Roger was +a prey to his fixed idea,—to his stroke of folly, as Monsieur Dalize +called it.</p> + +<p>The latter, besides, knew nothing as yet, and Monsieur Roger +counted upon the sudden revelation of this extraordinary fact to +shake his conviction. But Paul had repeated his question. He +asked,—</p> + +<p>"How did we leave the farm-house? How were we saved?"</p> + +<p>And as Albert did not know whether he should speak, whether +he should tell everything, Paul continued:</p> + +<p>"But speak, explain to me: I am trying to find out. I cannot +remember; and that gives me pain here." And he touched his +head.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger made a sign to Albert, and the latter spoke:</p> + +<p>"Well, do you remember the turret, where we had our rooms? +You slept above, I below. Do you remember the trap-door that +I showed you? In the middle of the night I felt myself awakened +by somebody, and I followed him. In my half sleep I thought that +this some one was you, my poor friend; but, alas! you remained +above; you were sleeping without fear. Why, it was Monsieur +Roger who first saw the danger that you were in."</p> + +<p>Paul, while Albert was speaking, had bent his head, seeking in +his memory and beginning to put in order his scattered thoughts. +When Albert pronounced the name of Monsieur Roger, Paul raised +his eyes towards him with a look which showed that he would soon +remember.</p> + +<p>"And afterwards?" said he.</p> + +<p>"And afterwards Monsieur Roger climbed upon the roof, at +the risk of his life, and reached the loop-hole which opened into +your chamber. He broke the glass of the window; but you did +not hear him: the smoke which was issuing through the floor had +made you insensible,—had almost asphyxiated you."</p> + +<p>"Ah, I remember!" cried Paul. "I was sleeping, and, at the +same time, I was not sleeping. I knew that I was exposed to some +great danger, but I had not the strength to make a movement. I +seemed paralyzed. I heard cries and confused murmurs, sounds +of people coming and going. I felt that I ought to rise and flee, +but that was impossible. My arms, my legs would not obey me; +my eyelids, which I attempted to open, were of lead. I soon thought +that everything was finished, that I was lost; and still I was saying +to myself that I might be raised out of this stupor. It seemed to +me that the efforts of some one outside might be so, that an order, +a prayer might give back to my will the power which it had lost; +but the stupor took hold of me more and more intensely. I was +going to abandon myself to it, when, all of a sudden, I heard myself +called. Yes, somebody called me; but not in the same way that +I have been called before. In that cry there was such a command, +such a prayer, so much faith, that my will at once recovered strength +to make my body obey it. I roused myself; I saw and I understood, +and, luckily, I remembered the trap-door which you had +shown me. I could scarcely lift it; but there was some one there,—yes, +some one who saved me."</p> + +<p>Paul Solange uttered a great cry.</p> + +<p>"Ah," said he, "it was Monsieur Roger!" And he ran to +throw himself into the arms which Monsieur Roger extended to +him.</p> + +<p>Miss Miette profited by the occasion to wipe her eyes, which +this scene had filled with big tears in spite of herself. Then she +turned to Paul, and said,—</p> + +<p>"But the one who called to you? Was it true? It was not +a dream?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no; it was some one. But who was it?"</p> + +<p>"It was Monsieur Roger," answered Albert.</p> + +<p>"And so you understood him?" continued Miette, very much +interested. "And he called you loudly by your name, 'Paul! +Paul!'"</p> + +<p>Paul Solange did not answer. This question had suddenly set +him to thinking. No, he had not heard himself called thus. But +how had he been called?</p> + +<p>Seeing that Paul was silent, Albert answered his little sister's +question:</p> + +<p>"Certainly," said he, "he called Paul by his name."</p> + +<p>Then he interrupted himself, and, remembering all of a sudden:</p> + +<p>"No," cried he; "Monsieur Roger called out another name."</p> + +<p>"What other name?" asked Monsieur Dalize, much surprised.</p> + +<p>"He cried out, 'George! George!'"</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize turned his head towards Roger and saw the +eyes of his friend fixed upon his own. He understood at once. +Poor Roger was still a slave to the same thought, the same illusion.</p> + +<p>Madame Dalize and Miette, who were acquainted with the +sorrows of Monsieur Roger, imagined that in this moment of trouble +he had in spite of himself called up the image of his child. Paul, +very gravely, was dreamily saying to himself that the name of +George was the name which he had heard, and that it was to +the sound of this name that he had answered, and he was asking +himself the mysterious reason for such a fact.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_67_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_67_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII">CHAPTER XXIII.</a><br /><span class="sub">A PROOF?</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_68_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_68_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>Monsieur Dalize took his friend Roger by the arm, and they +walked together down one of the solitary pathways of the park. +When they were some distance off from Madame Dalize and the +children, Monsieur Dalize stopped, looked his friend squarely in +the eyes, and said, in a faltering tone,—</p> + +<p>"Then you still think it? You have retained that foolish +idea? You think that Paul——?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," interrupted Monsieur Roger, in a firm voice, and without +avoiding the eyes of his friend, "I think it, and more than +that." Then, lowering his head, in a softened tone, but without +hesitation, he said, "I think that Paul is my son."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize looked at his friend with a feeling of real +pity.</p> + +<p>"Your son?" he said. "You think that Paul is your son? +And on what do you found this improbable, this impossible belief? +Upon a likeness which your sorrowful spirit persists in tracing. +Truly, my dear Roger, you grieve me. I thought you had a +firmer as well as a clearer head. To whom could you confide such +absurd ideas?"</p> + +<p>"To you, in the first place, as I have already done," said Monsieur +Roger, gravely. "The resemblance which you doubt, and +which, in fact, seems impossible to prove, is not a resemblance +which I see between Paul and George, but between Paul and her +who was his mother; of that I am sure."</p> + +<p>"You are sure?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; and in speaking thus I am in possession of all my senses, +as you see. Now, would you like to know what further clue I +have? Perhaps I have one. I will tell it to you."</p> + +<p>Here Monsieur Roger interrupted himself.</p> + +<p>"No," said he: "you will laugh at me."</p> + +<p>"Speak," said Monsieur Dalize. "I am sorry for you, and I +shall not laugh at your delusion. Speak. I will listen."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Monsieur Roger, "this very morning, when you +left the room, the noise that you made troubled the sleep of Paul; +a dream passed through his brain, and I followed all its phases. +I saw that Paul was going over the terrible scene of the night +before; I knew that by the terror of his face and by the murmur +of his lips. He evidently thought himself exposed to danger; +then it seemed as if he heard something, as if he knew that help +was at hand. He made a movement, as if to extend his hands, +and from his mouth came this word, 'Papa.'"</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger looked at his friend, who remained silent.</p> + +<p>"You have not understood?" he said.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize shook his head.</p> + +<p>"Ah, but I understood," continued Monsieur Roger; "I +am certain that I understood. In his dream Paul—no, no, not +Paul, but George, my little George—had heard himself called +as ten years ago he had been called at the time of the shipwreck, +during the fire on <ins title="orignal has hyphen in ship-board">shipboard</ins>, and he was answering to +that call; and it was to no stranger that he was answering; it +was not to Monsieur Roger; no, it was to his father: it was to +me."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger stopped, seeking some other proof which he +might furnish to Monsieur Dalize.</p> + +<p>The latter was plunged in thought; his friend's faith commenced +to shake his doubt. He certainly did not share Roger's +idea, but he was saying to himself that perhaps this idea was not +so impossible as it would seem at first sight.</p> + +<p>Roger continued, hesitating from the moment he had to pronounce +the name of Paul Solange:</p> + +<p>"You remember exactly the story that Paul told. Were you +not struck with it? Did not Paul acknowledge that in his torpor, +in his semi-asphyxia, he had called for help, called to his assistance +some unknown force which would shake and awake his dazed and +half-paralyzed will? And did not this help come, this sudden force, +when he felt himself called? Now, how many times I had cried +out 'Paul' without waking the child! Paul was not his name; he +did not hear it. I had to shout to him, making use of his own name, +his real name. I cried out, 'George!' and George heard and +understood me. George was saved."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize listened attentively: he was following up a +train of reasoning. At the end of some moments he answered +Monsieur Roger, who was awaiting with impatience the result of +his thoughts.</p> + +<p>"Alas, my poor friend! in spite of all my reason tells me, +I should like to leave to you your hope, but it is impossible. I +have seen Paul's father; I know him; I have spoken to him, I +have touched him; that father is not a shadow,—he exists in flesh +and blood. You have heard Paul himself speak of him. In a few +months he will come to Paris; you will see him; and then you +will be convinced."</p> + +<p>"But have you seen the birth-register of Paul Solange?" +asked Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<p>"Have I seen it? I may have done so, but I don't remember +just now."</p> + +<p>"But that register must have been made; it must be in France, +in the hands of some one."</p> + +<p>"Certainly."</p> + +<p>"Where can it be?"</p> + +<p>"At the Lyceum, in the dockets of the registrar."</p> + +<p>"Well, my friend, my dear friend, I must see it. You understand?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I understand. You wish to have under your own eyes +the proof of your mistake. You shall have it. As the guardian +of Paul Solange, I will write the registrar to send me a copy of +that birth-register. Are you satisfied?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"And now, I ask you to be calm, to keep cool."</p> + +<p>"Oh, don't be uneasy about me," answered Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<p>Then the two friends rejoined the group which they had left.</p> + +<p>Miette rose when she saw Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" she cried, "Monsieur Roger is going to tell us that."</p> + +<p>"That? What?" asked Monsieur Dalize.</p> + +<p>"Why, what asphyxia is," answered Miette.</p> + +<p>"Ah, my friend," said Monsieur Dalize, turning to Roger, "I +will leave the word to you."</p> + +<p>"Very well," answered Monsieur Roger. "Asphyxia is,—it +is——"</p> + +<p>And as Monsieur Roger was seeking for some easy words +in which to explain himself, Miette cried out, with a laugh,—</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you don't know yourself,—you who know everything?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I know it," answered Monsieur Roger, with a smile; +"but, in order to tell you, I must first explain to you what is the +formation of the blood, and tell you something of oxygen and +carbonic acid, and——"</p> + +<p>"Well, tell us," cried Miette, "if you think it will interest +us.—It will, won't it, Paul?"</p> + +<p>Paul bent his head.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger saw this gesture, and replied,—</p> + +<p>"Well, then, I am going to tell you."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_69_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_69_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV">CHAPTER XXIV.</a><br /><span class="sub">THE AIR AND THE LUNGS.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_70_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_70_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>"In order to live," continued Monsieur Roger, "you must +breathe. You don't doubt that?"</p> + +<p>"No," said Miss Miette, seriously.</p> + +<p>"Now, respiration consists in the absorption by the blood of +some of the oxygen of the air and in breathing out carbonic acid. +The oxygen, in combining with the carbon and hydrogen of the +blood, excites a real combustion in the lungs, which results in the +production of heat and in the exhalation of vapor and carbonic +acid."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger was going to continue in the same scientific +tone, when Monsieur Dalize remarked to him that his explanation +did not seem to be at all understood by the children.</p> + +<p>The latter, a little embarrassed, held their tongues.</p> + +<p>"You are right," replied Monsieur Roger, addressing Monsieur +Dalize; "that is a silence which is certainly not very flattering. +I intend to profit by this lesson by beginning once more at the +beginning."</p> + +<p>"You are right," said Miette.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, respiration is the very important function whose +object is to introduce air into our lungs.</p> + +<p>"What are the lungs, and why is it necessary to introduce +air into them? And, in the first place, how is this air introduced? +Through the mouth and through the nose. Then it passes through +the larynx and arrives at a large tube, which is called the trachea, +or wind-pipe. It is this tube which, as I shall show you, forms +the two lungs. As it enters the chest, this tube branches out into +two smaller tubes, which are called the primary bronches. One +of these bronches goes to the right, to make the right lung; the +other to the left, to make the left lung. Each primary bronche +is soon divided into a number of little tubes, called secondary +bronches. The secondary bronches divide up into a number of +other tubes, which are still smaller; and so on, and so on. Imagine +a tree with two branches, one spreading towards the right, and +the other towards the left. Upon these two branches grow +other branches; upon these other branches still others, and so +on. The branches become smaller and smaller until they become +mere twigs. Now, imagine these twigs ending in leaves, and +you will have some idea of that which is sometimes called the +pulmonary tree, with its thousand branches."</p> + +<p>"No," said Miette: "bronches."</p> + +<p>"Bronches,—you are right," said Monsieur Roger, who could +not help smiling at Miss Miette. "The tree which I have taken +as a comparison finishes by dividing itself into twigs, which, as I +have said, end in leaves. But you know, of course, that the +twigs of the pulmonary tree in our breast do not end in leaves. +They end in a sort of very small cells, surrounded by very thin +walls. These cells are so small that they need a microscope to +detect them, and their walls are very, very thin; the cells are +all stuck fast together, and together they constitute a spongy mass, +which is the lung. Now let us pass to the second question: Why +is it necessary to introduce air into the lungs?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Miette; "let us pass to that."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_71_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_71_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"The blood, in going out of the heart, circulates to all the +parts of the body in order to make necessary repairs; at the same +time it charges itself with all the old matter which has been used +up and is no longer any good and carries it along. Now, what +is it going to do with this old matter? It will burn it. Where +will it burn it? In the lungs. Now, there can be no combustion +when there is no air. The blood, wishing to burn its waste matter, +and wishing also to purify the alimentary principles which the +veins have drawn from the +stomach, has need of air. +Where will it find it? In the +lungs. And that is why it +is necessary to introduce air +into our lungs, or, in other +words, that is why we breathe. +The lungs are a simple intermediary +between the air and +the blood. Among the cells of +the lungs veins finer than hair +wind and turn. These veins +gather up the blood filled with +waste +matter. It is blood of a black color, +which is called venous blood. The walls +of the veins which transport the blood are +so thin that air, under the atmospheric +pressure,—this pressure which I have told +you all about,—passes through them and +into the blood. Then the venous blood +charges itself with the oxygen contained +in the air, and frees itself from what I +have called its waste material, and which is nothing less than +carbon. Immediately its aspect changes. This venous blood becomes +what is called arterial blood; this black blood becomes +rich vermilion,—it is regenerated. It goes out again to carry life to +all our organs. Now, this time," asked Monsieur Roger, pausing, +"have I made myself understood?"</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_72_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_72_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>"Yes," said Miette, speaking both for Paul and for herself; +"yes, we have understood,—except when you speak of oxygen, +of carbon, and of combustion."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I was wrong to speak of them," answered Monsieur +Roger, pretending to be vexed.</p> + +<p>"That may be," answered Miss Miette, very calmly; "but as +you did speak of them, you must tell us what they are."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you must, my friend," remarked Monsieur Dalize, taking +sides with his little girl.</p> + +<p>"Mustn't he, papa? mustn't Monsieur Roger explain?" asked +Miette.</p> + +<p>"Come, now," said Monsieur Roger, in a resigned tone. "You +must know, then, that air is composed of two gases,—oxygen +and nitrogen; therefore, when we breathe, we send into our lungs +oxygen and nitrogen. You might think, when we throw out this air, +when we exhale,—you might think, I say, that this air coming out +of our lungs is still composed of oxygen and of nitrogen in the same +proportions. Now, it is not so at all. The quantity of nitrogen +has not varied, but, in the first place, there is less oxygen, and there +is another gas,—carbonic acid gas; where, then, is the oxygen +which we have not exhaled, and whence comes this carbonic acid +which we did not inhale? Then, besides, in the air exhaled there +is vapor. Where does that come from? These phenomena result +from the combustion of which I speak; but, in order that you +should understand how this combustion occurs, I must explain to +you what is oxygen and what is nitrogen. And as it is a long +story, you must let me put it off till this evening; then I will talk +until you are weary, my dear little Miette."</p> + +<p>Miette looked at Albert and Paul, and answered for them with +remarkable frankness:</p> + +<p>"It will be only right if you do weary us. It is we who asked +you, and, besides, we have so often wearied you that it is only +right you should have your revenge on us. Still——"</p> + +<p>"Still, what?"</p> + +<p>"Still, we can trust you," added Miette, laughing, and throwing +her arms around Roger's neck.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_73_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_73_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXV" id="CHAPTER_XXV">CHAPTER XXV.</a><br /><span class="sub">OXYGEN.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_74_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_74_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"We were saying that oxygen——" cried Miss Miette, with a +smile, that evening, after dinner, seeing that Monsieur Roger had +completely forgotten his promise.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Monsieur Dalize hastened to add, as he wished to distract +his friend from sad thoughts; "yes, my dear Roger, we were +saying that oxygen——"</p> + +<p>"Is a gas," continued Monsieur Roger, good-humoredly. +"Yes, it is a gas; and Miette, I suppose, will want to ask me, +'What is gas?'"</p> + +<p>"Certainly," said Miette.</p> + +<p>"Well, it is only recently that we have found out, although the +old scientists, who called themselves alchemists, had remarked that +besides those things that come within reach of our senses there +also exists something invisible, impalpable; and, as their scientific +methods did not enable them to detect this thing, they had considered +it a portion of the spirit land; and indeed some of the +names which they adopted under this idea still remain in common +use. Don't we often call alcohol 'spirits of wine'? As these +ancients did not see the air which surrounded them, it was difficult +for them to know that men live in an ocean of gas, in the same +way as fish live in water; and they could not imagine that air is +a matter just as much as water is. You remember that universal +gravitation was discovered through——"</p> + +<p>"The fall of an apple," said Miette.</p> + +<p>"Yes; and that was something that every one knew; it +was a very common fact that an apple would fall. Well, it was +another common fact, another well-known thing, which enabled the +Fleming Van Helmont to discover in the seventeenth century the +real existence of gases, or at least of a gas. Van Helmont, one +winter evening, was struck by the difference between the bulk +of the wood which burned on his hearth and the bulk of the ashes +left by the wood after its combustion. He wished to examine +into this phenomenon, and he made some experiments. He readily +found that sixty-two pounds of charcoal left, after combustion, only +one pound of ashes. Now, what had become of the other sixty-one +pounds? Reason showed him that they had been transformed into +something invisible, or, according to the language of the times, +into some aërial spirit. This something Van Helmont called +'gaast,' which in Flemish means spirit, and which is the same +word as our ghost. From the word gaast we have made our +word gas. The gas which Van Helmont discovered was, as we +now know, carbonic acid. This scientist made another experiment +which caused him to think a good deal, but which he could not +explain. Now, we can repeat this experiment, if it will give you +any pleasure."</p> + +<p>"Certainly," said Miette; "what shall I bring you?"</p> + +<p>"Only two things,—a soup-plate and a candle."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger lit the candle and placed it in the middle of +the soup-plate, which he had filled with water. Then he sought +among the instruments which had come with the air-pump, and +found a little glass globe. He placed the globe over the candle +in the middle of the plate. Very soon, as if by a species of suction, +the water of the plate rose in the globe; then the candle went +out.</p> + +<p>"Can Miss Miette explain to me what she has just seen?" +said Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_75_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_75_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>Miette reflected, and said,—</p> + +<p>"As the water rose in the globe, it must have been because +the air had left the globe, since the water came to take its +place."</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Monsieur Roger; "but the air could not +leave the globe, as there is no opening in the globe on top, and +below it there is water. It did not leave the globe, but it +diminished. Now, tell me why it diminished."</p> + +<p>"Ah, I cannot tell you."</p> + +<p>"Well, Van Helmont was in just your position. He could +not know anything about the cause of this diminution, because he +was ignorant of the composition of the air, which was not discovered +until the next century by the celebrated French chemist Lavoisier. +Now, this is how Lavoisier arrived at this important discovery. In +the first place, he knew that metals, when they are calcined,—that +is to say, when they are exposed to the action of fire,—increase +in weight. This fact had been remarked before his time by Dr. +Jehan Rey, under the following circumstances: A druggist named +Brun came one day to consult the doctor. Rey asked to be allowed +to feel his pulse.</p> + +<p>"'But I am not sick,' cried the druggist.</p> + +<p>"'Then what are you doing here?' said the doctor.</p> + +<p>"'I come to consult you.'</p> + +<p>"'Then you must be sick.'</p> + +<p>"'Not at all. I come to consult you not for sickness, but in +regard to an extraordinary thing which occurred in my laboratory.'</p> + +<p>"'What was it?' asked Rey, beginning to be interested.</p> + +<p>"'I had to calcine two pounds six ounces of tin. I weighed +it carefully and then calcined it, and after the operation I weighed +it again by chance, and what was my astonishment to find two +pounds and thirteen ounces! Whence come these extra seven +ounces? That is what I could not explain to myself, and that +is why I came to consult you.'</p> + +<p>"Rey tried the same experiment again and again, and finally +concluded that the increase of weight came from combination with +some part of the air.</p> + +<p>"It is probable that this explanation did not satisfy the druggist; +and yet the doctor was right. The increase came from the combination +of the metal with that part of the air which Lavoisier called +oxygen. That great chemist, after long study, declared that air +was not a simple body, but that it was a composite formed of two +bodies, of two gases,—oxygen and nitrogen. This opinion, running +counter as it did to all preconceived ideas, raised a storm +around the head of the learned man. He was looked upon as a +fool, as an imbecile, as an ignoramus. That is the usual way.</p> + +<p>"Lavoisier resolved to show to the unbelievers the two +bodies whose existence he had announced. In the experiment +of increasing the weight of metals during calcination, an experiment +which has been often repeated since Jehan Rey's time, either +tin or lead had always been used. Now, these metals, during +calcination, absorb a good deal of oxygen from the air, but, +once they have absorbed it, they do not give it up again. Lavoisier +abandoned tin and lead, and made use of a liquid metal called mercury. +Mercury possesses not only the property of combining with +the oxygen of the air when it is heated, but also that of giving +back this oxygen as soon as the boiling-point is passed. The +chemist put mercury in a glass retort whose neck was very long +and bent over twice. The retort was placed upon an oven in such +a way that the bent end of the neck opened into the top of the globe +full of air, placed in a tube also full of mercury. By means of a +bent tube, a little air had been sucked out of the globe in such a +way that the mercury in the tube, finding the pressure diminished, +had risen a slight distance in the globe. In this manner the height +of the mercury in the globe was very readily seen. The level of +the mercury in the globe was noted exactly, as well as the temperature +and the pressure. Everything being now ready for the +experiment, Lavoisier heated the mercury in the retort to the boiling-point, +and kept it on the fire for twelve days. The mercury +became covered with red pellicles, whose number increased towards +the seventh and eighth days; at the end of the twelfth day, as +the pellicles did not increase, Lavoisier discontinued the heat. +Then he found out that the mercury had risen in the globe +much higher than before he had begun the experiment, which +indicated that the air contained in the globe had diminished. The +air which remained in the globe had become a gas which was +unfit either for combustion or for respiration; in fact, it was +nitrogen. But the air which had disappeared from the globe, +where had it gone to? What had become of it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Miette, "it is like the air of our globe just now. +Where has it gone?"</p> + +<p>"Wait a moment. Let us confine ourselves to Lavoisier's +experiment."</p> + +<p>"We are listening."</p> + +<p>"Well, Lavoisier decided that the air which had disappeared +could not have escaped from the globe, because that was closed +on all sides. He examined the mercury. It seemed in very much +the same state. What difference was there? None, excepting +the red pellicles. Then it was in the pellicles that he must seek +for the air which had disappeared. So the red pellicles were +taken up and heated in a little retort, furnished with a tube which +could gather the gas; under the action of heat the pellicles +were decomposed. Lavoisier obtained mercury and a gas. The +quantity of gas which he obtained represented the exact difference +between the original bulk of the air in the globe and the bulk of +the gas which the globe held at the end of the experiment. Therefore +Lavoisier had not been deceived. The air which had disappeared +from the globe had been found. This gas restored from +the red pellicles was much better fitted than the air of the atmosphere +for combustion and respiration. When a candle was placed +in it, it burned with a dazzling light. A piece of charcoal, instead +of consuming quietly, as in ordinary air, burned with a flame and +with a sort of crackling sound, and with a light so strong that +the eye could hardly bear it. That gas was oxygen."</p> + +<p>"And so the doubters were convinced," said Miette.</p> + +<p>"Or at least they ought to have been," added Monsieur Dalize, +philosophically.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_76_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_76_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXVI">CHAPTER XXVI.</a><br /><span class="sub">WHY WATER PUTS OUT FIRE.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_77_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_77_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>"You have never seen oxygen any more than you have seen +air," continued Monsieur Roger. "You have never seen it, and +you never will see it with your eyes,—for those organs are very +imperfect. I need not therefore say oxygen is a colorless gas; +and yet I will say it to you by force of habit. All books of chemistry +begin in this way. Besides this, it is without smell and without +taste. Oxygen is extremely well fitted for combustion. A half-extinguished +candle—that is, one whose wick is still burning but +without flame—will relight instantly if placed in a globe full of +oxygen. Almost all the metals, except the precious metals, such +as gold, silver, and platinum, burn, or oxydize more or less rapidly, +when they are put in contact with oxygen; for, besides those +lively combustions, in which metals, or other materials, become hot +and are maintained in a state of incandescence, there are other +kinds of burning which may be called slow combustions. You +have often had under your eyes, without knowing it, examples +of these slow combustions. For example, you have seen bits of +iron left in the air, or in the water, and covered with a dark-red +or light-red matter."</p> + +<p>"That is rust," said Miette.</p> + +<p>"Yes, that is what they call rust; and this rust is nothing less +than the product of the combustion of the iron. The oxygen +which is found in the air, or the water, has come in contact with +the bit of iron and has made it burn. It is a slow combustion, +without flames, but it nevertheless releases some heat. Verdigris, +in some of its forms, is nothing less than the product of the +combustion——"</p> + +<p>"Of copper," interrupted Miette again.</p> + +<p>"Miette has said it. These metals burn when they come in +contact with the oxygen of the air,—or, in the language of science, +they are oxydized; and this oxydation is simple combustion. Therefore, +oxygen is the principal agent in combustion. The process +which we call burning is due to the oxygen uniting itself to some +combustible body. There is no doubt on that subject, for it has +been found that the weight of the products of combustion is equal +to the sum of the weight of the body which burns and that of +the oxygen which combines with it. In the experiment which we +have made, if the oxygen has diminished in the globe, if it seems +to have disappeared, it is because it has united itself and combined +with the carbon of the candle to form the flame. In the +same way in Lavoisier's experiment it had combined itself with the +mercury to form the red pellicles. The candle had gone out when +all the oxygen in the globe had been absorbed; the red pellicles +had ceased to form when they found no more oxygen. In this way +Lavoisier discovered that the air was formed of a mixture of two +gases: the first was oxygen, of which we have just spoken; the +second was nitrogen. The nitrogen, which is also a colorless, +odorless, and tasteless gas, possesses some qualities that are precisely +contrary to those of oxygen. Oxygen is the agent of combustion. +Nitrogen extinguishes bodies in combustion. Oxygen is +a gas indispensable to our existence, with which our lungs breathe, +and which revives our being. The nitrogen, on the contrary, contains +no properties that are directly useful to the body. Animals +placed in a globe full of nitrogen perish of asphyxia. In other +words, they drown in the gas, or are smothered by it. I suppose +you will ask me what is the use of this gas, and why it enters +into the composition of the air? You will ask it with all the +more curiosity when you know that the air contains four times as +much nitrogen as oxygen; to be exact, a hundred cubic feet of +air contains seventy-nine cubic feet of nitrogen and twenty-one +cubic feet of oxygen. Now, the important part that nitrogen plays +is to moderate the action of the oxygen in respiration. You may +compare this nitrogen mixed with oxygen to the water which you +put in a glass of wine to temper it. Nitrogen possesses also +another property which is more general: it is one of the essential +elements in a certain number of mineral and vegetable substances +and the larger portion of animal substances. There are certain +compounds containing nitrogen which are indispensable to our +food. An animal nourished entirely on food which is destitute +of nitrogen would become weak and would soon die."</p> + +<p>"Excuse me, Monsieur Roger," said Albert Dalize: "how can +nitrogen enter into our food?"</p> + +<p>"That is a very good question," added Miette, laughing; +"surely you cannot eat nitrogen and you cannot eat gas."</p> + +<p>"The question is indeed a very sensible one," answered Monsieur +Roger; "but this is how nitrogen enters into our food. +We are carnivorous, are we not? we eat meat and flesh of animals. +And what flesh do we chiefly eat? The flesh of sheep and of +cattle. Sheep and cattle are herbivorous: they feed on herbs, on +vegetables. Now, vegetables contain nitrogen. They have taken +this nitrogen, either directly or indirectly, from the atmosphere and +have fixed it in their tissues. Herbivorous animals, in eating vegetables, +eat nitrogen, and we, who are carnivorous, we also eat +nitrogen, since we eat the herbivorous animals. We also eat vegetable +food, many kinds of which contain more or less nitrogen. +Do you understand?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I understand," said Miette.</p> + +<p>"There is nobody living who really understands this matter +very well, for it is an extremely obscure, though very important, +subject," replied Monsieur Roger. "But, to resume our explanation. +Besides oxygen and nitrogen, there is also in the air +a little carbonic acid and vapor. The carbonic acid will bring us +back to the point from which we started,—the phenomenon of +breathing. Carbonic acid is a gas formed by oxygen and carbon. +The carbon is a body which is found under a large variety of +forms. It has two or more varieties,—it is either pure or mixed +with impurities. Its varieties can be united in two groups. The +first group comprises the diamond and graphite, or plumbago, +which are natural carbon. The second group comprises coal, +charcoal, and the soot of a chimney, which we may call, for convenience, +artificial carbon. When oxygen finds itself in contact +with carbonaceous matter,—that is to say, with matter that +contains carbon,—and when the surrounding temperature has +reached the proper degree of heat, carbonic acid begins to be +formed. In the oven and the furnace, coal and charcoal mingle +with the oxygen of the air and give the necessary heat; but it is +first necessary that by the aid of a match, paper, and kindling-wood +you should have furnished the temperature at which oxygen +can join with the carbon in order to burn it. That is what we +may call an active or a live combustion; but there can also be +a slow combustion of carbon,—a combustion without flame, and +still giving out heat. It is this combustion which goes on in +our body by means of respiration."</p> + +<p>"Ah, now we have come around to it!" cried Miette. "That +is the very thing I was inquiring about."</p> + +<p>"Well, now that we have come around to it," answered Monsieur +Roger, "tell me what I began to say to you on the subject +of respiration."</p> + +<p>"That is not very difficult," answered Miette, in her quiet +manner. "You told us that we swallowed oxygen and gave out +carbonic acid; and you also said, 'Whence comes this carbonic +acid? From combustion.' That is why I said, just now, 'We have +come around to it.'"</p> + +<p>"Very good,—very good, indeed, only we do not <i>swallow</i> +oxygen, but we <i>inhale</i> it," said Monsieur Dalize, charmed with the +cleverness of his little girl.</p> + +<p>"What, then, is the cause of this production of carbonic acid?" +continued Monsieur Roger. "You don't know? Well, I am going +to tell you. The oxygen of the air which we breathe arrives into +our lungs and finds itself in contact with the carbon in the black +or venous blood. The carbon contained here joins with the +oxygen, and forms the carbonic acid which we breathe out. This +is a real, a slow combustion which takes place not only in our +lungs,—as I said at first, in order not to make the explanation too +difficult,—but also in all the different portions of our body. The +air composed of oxygen and nitrogen—for the nitrogen enters +naturally with the oxygen—penetrates into the pulmonary cells, +spreads itself through the blood, and is borne through the numberless +little capillary vessels. It is in these little vessels that combustion +takes place,—that is to say, that the oxygen unites with +the carbon and that carbonic acid is formed. This carbonic acid +circulates, dissolved in the blood, until it can escape out of it. It +is in the lungs that it finds liberty. When it arrives there it +escapes from the blood, is exhaled, and is at once replaced by +the new oxygen and the new nitrogen which arrive from outside. +The nitrogen absorbed in aspiration at the same time as the +oxygen is found to be of very much the same quantity when it +goes out. There has therefore been no appreciable absorption of +nitrogen. Now, this slow combustion causes the heat of our +body; in fact, what is called the animal-heat is due to the caloric +set free at the moment when the oxygen is converted into carbonic +acid, in the same way as in all combustion of carbon. In conclusion, +I will remind you that our digestion is exercised on two +sorts of food,—nitrogenous food and carbonaceous food. Nitrogenous +food—like fibrin, which is the chief substance in flesh; +albumen, which is the principal substance of the egg; caseine, the +principal substance of milk; legumine, of peas and beans—is +assimilated in our organs, which they regenerate, which they rebuild +continually. Carbonaceous foods—like the starch of the +potato, of sugar, alcohol, oils, and the fat of animals—do not assimilate; +they do not increase at all the substance of our muscles +or the solidity of our bones. It is they which are burned and +which aid in burning those waste materials of the venous blood +of which I have already spoken. Still, many starchy foods do +contain some nutritive principles, but in very small quantity. +You will understand how little when you know that you would +have to eat about fifteen pounds of potatoes to give your body +the force that would be given it by a single pound of beef."</p> + +<p>"Oh," said Miette, "I don't like beef; but fifteen pounds of +potatoes,—I would care still less to eat so much at once."</p> + +<p>"All the less that they would fatten you perceptibly," replied +Monsieur Roger; "in fact, it is the carbonaceous foods which +fatten. If they are introduced into the body in too great a quantity, +they do not find enough oxygen to burn them, and they are +deposited in the adipose or fatty tissue, where they will be useless +and often harmful. You see how indispensable oxygen is to human +life, and you now understand that if respiration does not go on +with regularity, if the oxygen of your room should become exhausted, +if the lungs were filled with carbonic acid produced by +the combustion of fuel outside the body, there would follow at first +a great deal of difficulty in breathing, then fainting, torpor, and, +finally, asphyxia."</p> + +<p>These last words, pronounced by Monsieur Roger with much +emotion, brought before them a remembrance so recent and so +terrible that all remained silent and thoughtful. It was Miss Miette +who first broke the spell by asking a new question of her friend +Roger. Asphyxia had recalled to her the fire. Then she had +thought of the manner of extinguishing fire, and she said, all of +a sudden, her idea translating itself upon her lips almost without +consciousness,—</p> + +<p>"Why does water extinguish fire?"</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger, drawn out of his thoughts by this question, +raised his head, looked at Miette, and said to her,—</p> + +<p>"In the first place, do you know what water is?"</p> + +<p>"No; but you were going to tell me."</p> + +<p>"All right. The celebrated Lavoisier, after having shown that +air is not a simple body, but that it is composed of two gases, next +turned his attention to the study of water, which was also, up to +that time, considered to be an element; that is, a simple body. +He studied it so skilfully that he succeeded in showing that water +was formed by the combination of two gases."</p> + +<p>"Of two gases!—water?" cried Miette.</p> + +<p>"Certainly, of two gases. One of these gases is oxygen, +which we have already spoken of, and the other is hydrogen."</p> + +<p>"Which we are going to speak of," added Miette.</p> + +<p>"Of course," answered Monsieur Roger, "since you wish it. +But it was not Lavoisier, however, who first discovered hydrogen. +This gas had been discovered before his time by the chemists +Paracelsus and Boyle, who had found out that in placing iron or +zinc in contact with an acid called sulphuric acid, there was disengaged +an air "like a breath." This air "like a breath" is what +we now call hydrogen. Lavoisier, with the assistance of the +chemist Meusnier, proved that it was this gas which in combining +with oxygen formed water. In order to do this he blew +a current of hydrogen into a retort filled with oxygen. As this +hydrogen penetrated into the retort, he set fire to it by means +of electric sparks. Two stop-cocks regulated the proper proportions +of the oxygen and the hydrogen in the retort. When the +combustion took place, they saw water form in drops upon the +sides of the retort and unite at the bottom. Water was therefore +the product of the combination of hydrogen with oxygen. The following +anecdote is told in regard to this combination. A chemist +of the last century, who was fond of flattery, was engaged to give +some lessons to a young prince of the blood royal. When he +came to explain the composition of water, he prepared before his +scholar the necessary apparatus for making the combination of +hydrogen and oxygen, and, at the moment when he was about to +send the electric spark into the retort, he said, bowing his head,—</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_78_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_78_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"'If it please your Royal Highness, this hydrogen and oxygen +are about to have the honor of combining before you.'</p> + +<p>"I don't know if the hydrogen and the oxygen were aware +of the honor which was being done them; but certainly they +combined with no more manners than if their spectator was an +ordinary boy. Now, I may add, you must not confound combinations +with mixtures; thus, air is a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, +while water is a combination of hydrogen and oxygen. This combination +is a union of the molecules of the two gases which produces +a composite body formed of new molecules. These new +molecules are water. Now, this last word recalls to me Miette's +question."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the latter: "why does water put out fire?"</p> + +<p>"There are two reasons for this phenomenon," said Monsieur +Roger: "the first is that water thrown upon the fire forms around +the matter in combustion a thick cloud, or vapor, which prevents +the air from reaching it. The wood, which was burning—that is +to say, which was mingling with the oxygen of the air—finds its +communication intercepted. The humid vapor has interposed between +the carbon of the wood and the oxygen of the air; therefore, +the combustion is forced to stop. Further, water falling +upon the fire is transformed, as you very well know, into vapor, +or steam. Now, this conversion into vapor necessitates the taking +up of a certain quantity of heat. This heat is taken away from +the body which is being burned, and that body is thus made +much cooler; the combustion therefore becomes less active, and +the fire is at last extinguished."</p> + +<p>"Very good," said Miette; "but still another question, and +I will let you alone."</p> + +<p>"You promise?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, what is your last question?"</p> + +<p>"Why is a candle put out by blowing on it, and why do they +light a fire by doing the same thing?"</p> + +<p>"In these two cases there are two very different actions," replied +Monsieur Roger: "in the first there is a mechanical action, +and in the second a chemical action. In blowing upon a candle +the violence of the air which you send out of your mouth detaches +a flame which holds on only to the wick. The burning particles +of this wick are blown away, and consequently the combustion is +stopped. But the case is very different when you blow with a +bellows or with your mouth upon the fire in the stove. There the +substance in combustion, whether wood or coal, is a mass large +enough to resist the violence of the current of air you throw in, and +it profits from the air which you send to it so abundantly, by taking +the oxygen which it contains and burning up still more briskly.</p> + +<p>"Now, that is the answer to your last question; and I must beg +you to remember your promise, and +ask me no more hard questions to-night."</p> + +<p>"Yes, friend Roger," said Miette, +"I will leave you alone; you may go +to sleep."</p> + +<p>"And it will be a well-earned +sleep," added Madame Dalize, with +the assent of every one.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_79_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_79_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXVII">CHAPTER XXVII.</a><br /><span class="sub">PAUL OR GEORGE?</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_80_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_80_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>At the end of this long talk every one rose. Monsieur and +Madame Dalize, with Monsieur Roger and Albert, walked towards +the château. Paul Solange, silent and motionless, followed them +with his eyes. When Monsieur Roger reached the step, he turned +and made a friendly gesture to Paul, who responded by a bow. +His eyes, in resting on Monsieur Roger, had an affectionate, softened, +and respectful look. Miette saw it, and was struck by it. She +approached, passed her arm in Paul's, and said, softly,—</p> + +<p>"You love him very much,—Monsieur Roger?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Paul, with surprise.</p> + +<p>"You love him very, very much?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"And he too loves you very well. I can see that. But do +you love him as much as if he——?"</p> + +<p>And Miette paused, embarrassed a little, feeling that what she +was going to say was very important; still, being certain that she +was right, she continued:</p> + +<p>"As much as if he was—your papa?"</p> + +<p>Paul started.</p> + +<p>"Yes; you love him as much and perhaps—perhaps more," she +cried, seeing Paul start.</p> + +<p>"Why do you say things like that to me?" murmured Paul, +much moved.</p> + +<p>"Because—nothing."</p> + +<p>"Why do you think that I love Monsieur Roger in the manner +that you have just said?"</p> + +<p>"Because——"</p> + +<p>"Because what?"</p> + +<p>"Well, because I look at my papa just as I see you looking +at Monsieur Roger."</p> + +<p>Paul tried to hide his embarrassment, and replied,—</p> + +<p>"You are foolish."</p> + +<p>Then he looked up at Miette, who shook her head and +smiled, as if to say that she was not foolish. An idea came +to him.</p> + +<p>"Miette," said he, softly, "I am going to ask you something."</p> + +<p>"Ask it."</p> + +<p>"But you will tell it to no one?"</p> + +<p>"To no one."</p> + +<p>"Well, do you know why Monsieur Roger, at the fire at the +farm, called me—called me George?"</p> + +<p>"Why, certainly, I know."</p> + +<p>"You know?" cried Paul.</p> + +<p>"Yes: he called you George because he thought suddenly that +his child, his little George, whom he lost in a fire,—in a fire on +shipboard——"</p> + +<p>Paul Solange listened, opening his eyes very wide.</p> + +<p>"Ah, that is true. You don't know anything about it. You +were not here when Monsieur Roger told us this terrible thing."</p> + +<p>"No, I was not here; but you were here, Miette. Well, speak—tell +me all about it."</p> + +<p>Then Miette repeated to Paul Monsieur Roger's story; she +told him about the departure of Monsieur Roger, his wife, and +their little George for America, their voyage on the ship, then +the fire at sea. She told about the grief, the almost insane grief, +which Monsieur Roger had felt when he saw himself separated +from his wife and his son, who had been taken off in a boat, +while he remained upon the steamer. Then she told Paul of the +despair of Monsieur Roger when he saw that boat disappear and +bear down with it to a watery grave those whom he loved.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_81_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_81_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"At that moment," continued Miette, "Monsieur Roger told +us that he cried out 'George! George!' with a voice so loud, so +terrified, that certainly his little boy must have heard."</p> + +<p>Miette stopped.</p> + +<p>"Why, what is the matter, Paul?" she cried: "are you sick?"</p> + +<p>For Paul Solange had suddenly become so pale that Miette +was scared.</p> + +<p>"Not at all," said he; "not at all; but finish your story."</p> + +<p>"It is finished."</p> + +<p>"How?"</p> + +<p>"Poor Monsieur Roger has never again seen his wife or his +little George—or at least he saw his wife, whose body had been +cast up by the waves, but the body of the little boy remained at +the bottom of the sea."</p> + +<p>After a silence, Miette added,—</p> + +<p>"You now understand how it is that the fire at the farm recalled +to him at once the fire on the ship, and why, in his grief, +in his fright to see you in so great a danger, he thought of his +little boy, and cried 'George!' You understand, don't you?"</p> + +<p>Paul remained an instant without answering; then, very gravely, +with a pale face and wide open eyes, he said,—</p> + +<p>"I understand."</p> + +<p>Paul Solange did not sleep the night which followed the day +on which he learned all these things. His brain was full of strange +thoughts. He was calling up shadowy confused recollections. He +sought to go back as far as possible to the first years of his childhood, +but his memory was at fault. He suddenly found a dark +corner where everything disappeared; he could go no farther; but +now that he knew Monsieur Roger's story, he was certain, absolutely +certain that he had answered to the name of George in the +fire at the farm. It was that name, that name only, which had +suddenly shaken off his torpor and given him the strength to +awake; it was that name that had saved him. Feverishly searching +in his memory, he said to himself that this name he had heard +formerly pronounced with the same loud and terrified voice in some +crisis, which must have been very terrible, but which he could not +recall; and then, hesitating anxiously, feeling that he was making +a fool of himself, he asked himself if it was during the fire on +shipboard, of which Miette had spoken, that he had heard this +name of George; and little by little, in the silence of the night, +this conviction entered and fixed itself in his mind. Then he turned +his thoughts upon the way that Monsieur Roger had treated him. +Whence this sudden and great affection which Monsieur Roger had +shown him? Why that sympathy which he knew to be profound +and whose cause he could not explain, as he did not merit it a +bit more than his friend Albert? Why had Monsieur Roger so +bravely risked his life to save him? Why had his emotion been so +great? Lastly, why this cry of "George?"</p> + +<p>And Paul Solange arrived at this logical conclusion,—</p> + +<p>"If Monsieur Roger loves me so much; if he gave me, at the +terrible moment when I came near dying, the name of his son, it +must be because I recalled to him his son; it must be because I +resemble his little George. And what then?"</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_82_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_82_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXVIII">CHAPTER XXVIII.</a><br /><span class="sub">MY FATHER.</span></h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_83_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_83_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + + +<p>When Paul at last fell into an uneasy sleep, the sun had been +up for some hours. Monsieur Dalize and his friend Roger went +out from the château.</p> + +<p>"Has the postman not been here yet?" said Monsieur Dalize +to his servant.</p> + +<p>"No sir; he will not be here for an hour."</p> + +<p>"Very well; we will go to meet him."</p> + +<p>And in fact, in his haste, Monsieur Roger carried his friend off +to meet the postman.</p> + +<p>But days had elapsed since Monsieur Dalize had, according to +promise, written to the registrar of births, to ask him to forward +a copy of the register of birth of Paul Solange, and no answer +had yet arrived. This silence had astonished Monsieur Dalize and +given a hope to Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<p>"There must be some reason, don't you see," he said, walking +beside his friend. "Some important reason why the registrar has +not yet answered your pressing letter."</p> + +<p>"A reason, an important reason," replied Monsieur Dalize; +"the explanation may be that the registrar is away."</p> + +<p>"No; there is some other reason," answered Monsieur Roger +with conviction.</p> + +<p>Half-way to the station they met the letter-carrier, who said,—</p> + +<p>"Monsieur Dalize, there are two letters for you."</p> + +<p>The first letter which Monsieur Dalize opened bore the address +of the registrar of births. He rapidly read the few lines, then +turned towards Roger.</p> + +<p>"You are right," said he; "there is a reason. Read."</p> + +<p>"I pray <i>you</i> read it; I am too much excited," replied Roger.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Dalize read as follows:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p><i>"Sir</i>:</p> + +<p class="indent">"The researches which I have made in my docket to find the +register of birth of Paul Solange must be my excuse for the delay. +We have not the register of birth which you ask for, but in its +place is a paper so important that I have not the right to part +with it; still, I shall be ready to place this paper under your eyes +when you come to Paris.</p> + + +<p class="right">"Yours respectfully," etc.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>"I go," said Monsieur Dalize, consulting his watch; "I have +just time to catch the train, and I shall return in time for dinner. +Go back to the château and tell them that an important letter calls +me to Paris."</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger took the hand of his friend with a joy which +he could not conceal, and said,—</p> + +<p>"Thank you."</p> + +<p>"I go to please you," answered Monsieur Dalize, not wishing +that his friend should have hopes excited, for failure might leave +him more unhappy than ever. "I am going to see this important +paper, but I see no reason why it should show that Paul was not +the son of Monsieur Solange. So keep calm; you will need all +your calmness on my return."</p> + +<p>Before leaving, Monsieur Dalize opened the envelope of the +second letter; as the first lines caught his eyes, an expression of +sorrow and surprise came over his face.</p> + +<p>"That is very strange and very sad," said he.</p> + +<p>"What is it?" asked Roger.</p> + +<p>"It is strange that this letter speaks of Monsieur Solange, the +father of Paul, and it is sad that it also brings me bad news."</p> + +<p>"Speak," said Roger, quickly.</p> + +<p>"This letter is from my successor in the banking house, and it +says that Monsieur Solange, of Martinique, has suspended payment."</p> + +<p>"Has Monsieur Solange failed?" asked Roger.</p> + +<p>"The letter adds that they are awaiting fuller information from +the mail that should arrive to-day. You see that my presence in +Paris is doubly necessary. Come down to the station to meet me +in the coupé at five o'clock, and come alone."</p> + +<p>The sudden departure of Monsieur Dalize did not very much +astonish the people at the Château, but what did astonish them, +and become a subject of remark for all, was the new expression +on the face of Monsieur Roger. He seemed extremely moved, but +his features showed hope and joy, which had chased away his +usual sadness. Madame Dalize inquired what had happened, and +Monsieur Roger told her the whole story.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Roger hoped, and he was even happier that day than +ever to find himself near Paul, because the latter showed himself +more affectionate than ever. Long before the appointed hour, +Monsieur Roger was at the station, awaiting with impatience the +return of Monsieur Dalize. At last the train came in sight, and +soon Monsieur Dalize got out of the car.</p> + +<p>"Well?" said Roger, with a trembling voice, awaiting the yes +or the no on which his happiness or his despair depended. Monsieur +Dalize, without answering, led Roger away from the station; +then, when they were in the coupé, which started at a brisk pace, +Monsieur Dalize threw his arms around his friend, with these +words:</p> + +<p>"Be happy, it is your son!"</p> + +<p>Roger's eyes filled with tears, great big tears, which he could +not restrain, tears of joy succeeding to the many tears of sorrow +which he had shed. At last he murmured,—</p> + +<p>"You have the proofs?"</p> + +<p>"I have two proofs, one of which comes in a very sad way."</p> + +<p>"What is it?"</p> + +<p>"The confession of Monsieur Solange, who wrote to me on his +death-bed."</p> + +<p>"Unhappy man!"</p> + +<p>"Unhappy, yes; but also guilty."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"Well, read first a copy of the paper which took the place of +the birth-register of Paul Solange."</p> + +<p>Through his tears, Monsieur Roger read as follows:</p> + +<p>"This 24th day of December, 1877, before me, Jean-Jacques +Solange, French Consul of the Island of Saint-Christopher, in the +English Antilles, appeared Jan Carit, captain of the Danish fishing +vessel, 'Jutland,' and Steffenz and Kield, who declared to him +that on the 15th of December, 1877, finding themselves near the +Island of Eleuthera, in the archipelago of the Bahamas, they perceived +a raft, from which they took a child of the masculine sex, +who seemed to be between two and three years old. We have +given him the name of Pierre Paul. In witness whereof, the above-named +parties have hereunto set their hands and seals."</p> + +<p>When he had finished, Roger cried,—</p> + +<p>"There is no doubt,—the date, the place, everything is proof."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_84_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_84_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<p>"Which would not be sufficient, if I had not this."</p> + +<p>And Monsieur Dalize gave to his friend Solange's letter. In +this letter Monsieur Solange announced his ruin, and his approaching +death from heart-disease; the doctors had given him up, +and he begged Monsieur Dalize to tell Paul that he was not his +son. Monsieur Solange declared that he was the French Consul +at the Island of Saint Christopher when some Danish fishermen, +from the Island of Saint Thomas, brought him the child, which they +had found in the sea. He and his wife had no children. They +determined to adopt the child which had been found. Monsieur +Solange confessed that he had been wanting in his duty in not +making the necessary search. He excused himself sadly by saying +that he was convinced of the death of the parents of the child, and +he begged for pardon, as he had wished to bring this child up +and make him happy. In finishing, he said that the linen of the +child was marked "G. L. M.," and that the boy could pronounce +the French words "maman" and "papa."</p> + +<p>"I pardon him," said, gravely and solemnly, Monsieur Roger.</p> + +<p>The coupé had entered the park, and the two gentlemen +alighted before the château, where the family awaited them. Monsieur +Dalize advanced towards him who had hitherto been called +Paul Solange, and who really was George La Morlière.</p> + +<p>"My dear child," said he, "I have news for you,—some very +sad news and some very happy news."</p> + +<p>Anxious, excited, George came forward. Monsieur Dalize continued:</p> + +<p>"You have lost him who was your adopted father,—Monsieur +Solange."</p> + +<p>"Monsieur Solange is dead!" cried George, bowing his head, +overwhelmed at the news.</p> + +<p>"But," Monsieur Dalize hastened to add, "you have found your +real father."</p> + +<p>At these words George raised his head again; his eyes went +straight towards those of Monsieur Roger. He ran forward and +threw himself in the arms which were opened to him, repeating, +between his tears,—</p> + +<p>"My father! my father!"</p> + +<p>And Miss Miette, who wept, as all the rest did, at this moving +spectacle, said, in the midst of her sobs,—</p> + +<p>"I knew it; I knew it; I knew it was his papa!"</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> + + <a href="images/illustration_85_high.jpg"> + <img src="images/illustration_85_low.jpg" alt="Illustration" /> + </a> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> + +</div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's In Search of a Son, by William Shepard Walsh + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN SEARCH OF A SON *** + +***** This file should be named 36189-h.htm or 36189-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/1/8/36189/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Stephanie Kovalchik and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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