Volume Ii Part 48 (1/2)
”Not at all; he slipped, made a misstep; that may happen to anybody.”
”For shame, monsieur! the idea of a man who has a fine house, and horses and carriages, getting tipsy like any porter!”
”I swear, madame----”
”If the baron doesn't behave better, I'll turn him out of doors.”
”Turn Monsieur de Schtapelmerg, your old friend, out of doors!”
”Well, well! I must go and dress. Send Helose to me.”
”What! my dear love, aren't you coming to the salon to receive your guests?”
”The idea of my appearing in this costume! that would be very nice.”
”Ah, yes! that's true; you are in your riding habit. Why, your back's all covered with dirt! did you fall?”
”I never fall from my horse; I leave that for you to do! Have Monsieur Edmond and Monsieur Freluchon arrived?”
”Not yet; I imagine that they won't come till evening. By the way, my dear love, I have something to tell you that will please you.”
”Later, monsieur; I haven't time to listen to you at this moment.”
And Thelenie went up to her apartment, while Chamoureau said to himself:
”I'll tell her that by-and-by, at table; at the same time that I tell her of my invention, my marvellous invention for ascertaining the age of trees.--Ah! that will confer honor on me, and will cause my name to be handed down to posterity!”
Chamoureau returned to the salon rubbing his hands, and with such a self-satisfied air, that Doctor Antoine, who had just arrived, and who had his share of curiosity, at once went up to him and asked him the reason.
”You have received some pleasant news, I'll be bound, Monsieur de Belleville,” he said; ”rubbing one's hands is always a sign of satisfaction, unless it means that one is cold. But as this is August and the weather is fine, it can hardly be the last reason that makes you rub yours.--Some little surprise you are arranging for the fete, eh?
Tell me what it is; I won't breathe a word to anyone.”
”My dear doctor, I am in truth rather well pleased with myself; but my satisfaction has nothing to do with our fete; I have two reasons for it, in fact, I may say three. In the first place, after long and fatiguing studies, I have succeeded in making a discovery which will be of great benefit to science.”
”What! are you interested in science, Monsieur de Belleville?”
”I am interested in everything, doctor; I am always meditating, although I may not have that appearance.”
”Really! And this scientific discovery has a bearing upon hygiene?”
”What did you say?”
”I asked you if it related to hygiene, to therapeutics--in short, if it is a discovery of interest to the medical profession?”
”Oh! not at all, doctor; there's not the least bit of medicine in my discovery. It is--you won't mention it to anybody yet?”
”I will be dumb.”
”It's a method of ascertaining, the moment you look at a tree, how old it is.”