"It defends itself well," said Bell, rubbing his face.
"Yes, but I ought to have expected it," said the doctor; "and I should not have thrown the seed away so stupidly, especially since I might have started them near the kitchen stove."
"What!" asked Altamont, "could you have foreseen this change of weather?"
"Certainly, and without resorting to magic. I ought to have put the seed under the protection of Saints Mamert, Panera, and Servais, whose days are the 11th, 12th, and 13th of this month."
"Well, Doctor," said Altamont, "will you tell me what influence these three saints have on the weather?"
"A very great influence, to believe gardeners, who call them the three saints of ice."
"And why so, pray?"
"Because generally there is a periodic frost in the month of May, and the greatest fall of temperature takes place from the 11th to the 13th of this month. It is a fact, that is all."
"It is curious, but what is the explanation?" asked the American.
"There are two: either by the interposition of a greater number of asteroids between the earth and the sun at this season, or simply by the melting of the snow, which thereby absorbs a great quantity of heat. Both explanations are plausible; must they be received? I don't know; but if I'm uncertain of the truth of the explanation, I ought not to have been of the fact, and so lose my crop."