Part 11 (1/2)
Monsieur Roger, hiding his satisfaction, seemed to attach no importance to this request of Miette under the a.s.sent given by Paul. Wis.h.i.+ng to profit by the awakened curiosity of his little friend, he hastened to continue, and said,--
”Who wants to bring me a bit of cork and a gla.s.s of water?”
”I! I!” cried Miette, running.
When Miette had returned with the articles, Monsieur Roger continued:
”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.”
Monsieur Roger took the cork, raised his hand above his head, and opened his fingers: the cork fell.
”Is it a heavy body?” said he. ”Did it fall to the ground?”
”Yes,” cried Paul and Miette together.
Then Monsieur Roger placed the gla.s.s 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 gla.s.s; then he withdrew his finger, and the cork mounted up to the surface again.
”Did you see?” asked Monsieur Roger.
”Yes,” said Miss Miette.
”You remarked something?”
”Certainly: the cork would not fall, and you were obliged to force it into the water with your finger.”
”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?”
”Ah, I don't know,” said Miette, a little confused.
”Still, we must know. Did this cork fall just now upon the ground?”
”Yes.”
”Then it was a heavy body?”
”Yes.”
”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?”
This time Miette knew not what to answer.
”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.”
”Towards the centre of the earth?” repeated Miette.
”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?”
”String, yes; but where can I get lead?” asked Miette.
”Look in the box where I keep my fis.h.i.+ng-tackle,” said Monsieur Dalize to his daughter, ”and find two sinkers there.”