Paul and His Dog Volume Ii Part 52

"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.

"Very interesting," said Monsieur Remplume.

"Very valuable for dealers in wood," said Monsieur Jarnouillard.

"At last, messieurs, after long consideration and profound study, I have found a method to put an end to all uncertainty in that respect."

"Ah! let us hear the method."

"Hush, messieurs! silence! let us listen."

"Let us not lose a word."

"Messieurs, this is what must be done: whenever anyone plants a tree, he must have ready a small piece of wood or zinc--perhaps zinc would be preferable--and on this sheet of zinc, which is to be nailed to the tree, will be carved the year, month and day of the planting; then it seems to me, it will be very easy to tell the age of a tree at a glance."

Applause, intermingled with much stifled laughter, arose on all sides.

"Bravo! bravo!"

"Honor to Monsieur de Belleville!"

"This discovery does him great credit!"

"It's as simple as good-day; and no one ever thought of it!"

"Here's to Monsieur de Belleville's scientific discovery!"

Freluchon rose and said:

"I propose to add hereafter to the name of Monsieur de Belleville that of Silvestre, derived from _Sylvestris_, which means woods, trees, forests. Let us drink then to the health of Monsieur de Belleville-Silvestre! the grateful stumps!"

"What do you mean by stumps?"

"I mean, in the name of the grateful stumps."

Chamoureau was radiant; he had no suspicion that he was being laughed at, and received in all seriousness the compliments that were paid him.

But Thelenie, who was less entertained by this comedy, soon said to him:

"I believe, monsieur, that you informed me that you had something else in store--something that would be agreeable to me. I trust that it has nothing to do with trees?"

"No, my dear love, it relates to a matter in which you alone are interested. You gave me two commissions a few days ago: first, to find out whom a dog belonged to that had had the effrontery to bark at you. I have at last discovered his owner; that savage beast, which, by the way, is unlawfully at large, as he isn't muzzled, belongs to a man who lives on an estate called the Tower, near Gournay. This man, who is looked upon as----"

"Enough, monsieur; you tell me nothing new; I know perfectly well who owns that dog."

"Nevertheless, I propose to go and tell him he must muzzle his Newfoundland--they say it's a Newfoundland--and to-morrow----"

"No, monsieur, it is quite unnecessary for you to take that step. I have already seen that gentleman, and he has apologized to me."