"Come, Miss Miette," said Monsieur Roger, who saw this manoeuvre, "you have something to tell us. Your little tongue is itching to say something. Well, speak; we should all like to hear you."
"Monsieur Roger," said Miette, "is not smoke a substance?"
"Certainly; the word substance signifies something that exists. Smoke exists. Therefore it is a substance."
"Then," replied Miette, with an air of contentment with herself, "as smoke is a substance, there is one substance which does not fall to the earth. Indeed, it does just the opposite."
"Ah! Miss Miette wants to catch me," said Monsieur Roger.
Miette made a gesture of modest denial, but at heart she was very proud of the effect which she had produced, for every one looked at her with interest.
"To the smoke of which you speak," continued Monsieur Roger, "you might add balloons, and even clouds."
"Certainly, that is true," answered Miette, näively.
"Very well; although smoke and balloons rise in the air instead of falling, although clouds remain suspended above our heads, smoke and balloons and clouds are none the less bodies with weight. What prevents their fall is the fact that they find themselves in the midst of the air, which is heavier than they are. Take away the air and they would fall."
"Take away the air?" cried Miette, with an air of doubt, thinking that she was facing an impossibility.