All pressed heavily in their desire to carry out implicitly every command of the professor, but their efforts were in vain. At last the table rose to such a height that the whole company were compelled to stand on their chairs, but even then their united pressure was of no avail for the table steadily rose above their heads.
"Now, Riche, quick," called out Delapine, "take a stereoscopic photograph that all may see that the table is actually suspended in the air above the ground."
"Right," said Riche, as he quickly took a couple of snapshots with magnesium flashlight.
Immediately afterwards Delapine, who was standing on tip-toe on his chair, suddenly withdrew his hands from the table as it rested poised above his head.
"Stand back, stand back," shouted the professor, and as they all obeyed the instruction the table, weighing about half a hundredweight, fell with a tremendous crash, breaking one of its legs in two.
"Good God!" exclaimed Marcel, "what a smash. It nearly caved my head in. I was too much interested watching it to jump back when you shouted."
"Anyhow I shall have a couple of good stereo negatives to convince all unbelievers," said Riche.
"It just missed my toe," said Payot, laughing, "but all the same I am not yet convinced. The professor can make the table rise in spite of our united efforts to hold it down, but I defy him to keep it down when we all try to raise it up."
"I can do that with the greatest ease," said Delapine.
"The question before the House," said Marcel in English, "is that Professor Delapine do exercise his will to prevent us from raising up this table while we use all our strength in lifting it. Are the honourable members agreed? I think the 'Ayes' have it."