"Then it was a heavy body?"
"Yes."
"And now that it remains on the surface of the water, that it no longer precipitates itself towards the earth, it is no longer a heavy body?"
This time Miette knew not what to answer.
"Well, be very sure," continued Monsieur Roger, "that it is heavy. If it does not fall to the bottom of the water, it is because the water is heavier than it. The water is an obstacle to it. Nevertheless, it is attracted, like all bodies, towards the earth, or, more precisely, towards the centre of the earth."
"Towards the centre of the earth?" repeated Miette.
"Yes, towards the centre of the earth. Can Miss Miette procure for me two pieces of string and two heavy bodies,—for example, small pieces of lead?"
"String, yes; but where can I get lead?" asked Miette.
"Look in the box where I keep my fishing-tackle," said Monsieur Dalize to his daughter, "and find two sinkers there."
Miette disappeared, and came back in a moment with the articles desired. Monsieur Roger tied the little pieces of lead to the two separate strings. Then he told Miette to hold the end of one of these strings in her fingers. He himself did the same with the other string. The two strings from which the sinkers were suspended swayed to and fro for some seconds, and then stopped in a fixed position.