“That is too vague a question.”
“What does the word mean?”
“It is an Arabic word, of which I do not know the meaning; but no doubt Paracelsus would tell us.”
“The word,” said I, “is neither Arabic nor Hebrew, nor, indeed, of any language at all. It is a contraction which conceals two other words.”
“Can you tell us what they are?” said the chevalier.
“Certainly; aro comes from aroma, and ph is the initial of philosophorum.”
“Did you get that out of Paracelsus?” said Farsetti, evidently annoyed.
“No, sir; I saw it in Boerhaave.”
“That’s good,” said he, sarcastically; “Boerhaave says nothing of the sort, but I like a man who quotes readily.”
“Laugh, sir, if you like,” said I, proudly, “but here is the test of what I say; accept the wager if you dare. I don’t quote falsely, like persons who talk of words being Arabic.”