Volume Ii Part 52 (1/2)
”I know that you're a jolly buck; we'll drink hard and straight.”
”I've promised not to drink to-day.”
”What's that? what did you do that for? Suppose you should get a little tight! in the country one can let himself go.”
”At supper, I don't say no, we will see; but I propose to keep my senses now.”
”Do you think there'll be a supper?”
”I am sure of it.”
”Do you know that this is a magnificent affair--this fete of Monsieur and Madame de Belleville's?”
”Yes, it will cost them a pile.”
”What did you say?”
”I say that this is famous madeira, ten thousand _bouffardes_!”
”As I am not afraid of getting a little started, I am going to fill up again.”
”Cristi! d.a.m.n the odds! I'll take another gla.s.s, too.”
”It's no use for you to try to hold back, my buck,” thought Freluchon, as he refilled Croque's gla.s.s; ”I mean for you to be as agreeable to-night as you were last night.”
Seizing an opportunity when the conversation flagged a little, Doctor Antoine took the floor.
”This charming banquet,” he began, ”which recalls the famous feasts of Lucullus, so often cited for their sumptuousness, this superb banquet, I say, is to be made still more memorable by the announcement of a scientific discovery--a most interesting discovery--which our host has made, and which he has promised to communicate to us.”
”Hear! hear!” cried Freluchon, ”we call for the discovery; it concerns the age of trees, I understand.”
”Is it really the age of trees?” inquired Madame Droguet with an anxious glance at the doctor.
”Why, yes, my dear lady; pray be calm! there has never been a question of anything else.”
Everybody united in begging Chamoureau to keep his promise by making known his discovery. Even Thelenie said to him:
”Come, speak up, monsieur; you see that everybody is waiting for you.”
Chamoureau felt it inc.u.mbent upon him to rise, so that he might be heard more distinctly; and having bowed to right and left, as if he were going to propose a toast, he began:
”Long ago I noticed----”
”I say! I know that song,” muttered Freluchon, as Chamoureau paused to cough; ”is that his discovery?”
Having succeeded in clearing his throat, Chamoureau continued:
”Long ago I noticed that a person, as he looked at a tree, would say: 'I wonder how old it is!' Then he would proceed to make figures according to its girth and the wrinkles of its bark, and make an approximate estimate; but no one was ever certain. It occurred to me that it would be no less useful than agreeable to be able to tell the age of a tree instantly, simply by looking at it.”
”It would be admirable!” said the doctor.