Part 8 (1/2)

”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.

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.”

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.

Paul asked,--

”How high is this tower? A hundred feet?”

”Less than that, I think,” answered Monsieur Roger. ”Still, it will be easy to find out exactly in a moment.”

”In a moment?” asked Paul.

”Yes, in a moment.”

”Without descending?”

”No; we will remain where we are.”

Paul made a gesture which clearly indicated, ”I would like to see that.”

Monsieur Roger understood.

”There is no lack of pieces of stone in this tower; take one,” said he to Paul.

Paul obeyed.

”You will let this stone fall to the earth at the very moment that I tell you to do so.”

Monsieur Roger drew out his watch and looked carefully at the second-hand.

”Now, let go,” he said.

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,--

”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.”

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,--

”The tower is sixty feet high?”

”Sixty-two and a half feet,--for the odd two and a half feet must not be forgotten in our computation.”

Paul was silent. Then, seeing that Monsieur Roger was ready to smile, and mistaking the cause of this smile, he said,--

”You are joking, are you not? You cannot know that the tower is really sixty feet high?”