"Yes, take away the air," continued Monsieur Roger; "for that can be done. There even exists for this purpose a machine, which is called an air-pump. You place under a glass globe a lighted candle. Then you make a vacuum,—that is to say, by the aid of the air-pump you exhaust the air in the globe; soon the candle is extinguished for want of air, but the wick of the candle continues for some instants to produce smoke. Now, you think, I suppose, that that smoke rises in the globe?"
"Certainly," said Miette.
"No, no, not at all; it falls."
"Ah! I should like to see that!" cried Miette.
"And, in order to give you the pleasure of seeing this, I suppose you would like an air-pump?"
"Well, papa will buy me one.—Say, papa, won't you do it, so we may see the smoke fall?"
"No, indeed!" said Monsieur Dalize; "how can we introduce here instruments of physical science during vacation? What would Paul say?"
"Paul would say nothing. I am sure that he is just as anxious as I am to see smoke fall.—Are you not, Paul?"
And Paul Solange, already half-conquered, made a sign from the corner of his eye to his little friend that her demand was not at all entirely disagreeable to him.
