asked several voices at once.

"An unnatural pupil of mine," replied the old mathematician; "a scamp,
but full of ideas; his name is Felix Phellion."

The name was received, as may well be imagined, with amazement. Finding
the situation amusing, Colleville and la Peyrade went off into fits of
laughter.

"You laugh, fools!" cried the irate old man, rising. "Yes, come and
laugh within reach of my arm."

So saying, he brandished a thick stick with a white china handle, which
he used to guide himself, thereby nearly knocking over a candelabrum on
the dinner-table upon Madame Minard's head.

"You are mistaken, monsieur," cried Brigitte, springing forward and
seizing his arm. "Monsieur Felix is not here. He will probably come
later to a reception we are about to give; but at present he has not
arrived."

"They don't begin early, your receptions," said the old man; "it is past
eight o'clock. Well, as Monsieur Felix is coming later, you must allow
me to wait for him. I believe you were eating your dinners; don't let me
disturb you."

And he went back peaceably to his chair.

"As you permit it, monsieur," said Brigitte, "we will continue, or, I
should say, finish dinner, for we are now at the dessert. May I offer
you anything,--a glass of champagne and a biscuit?"

"I am very willing, madame," replied the intruder. "No one ever refuses
champagne, and I am always ready to eat between my meals; but you dine
very late."

A place was made for him at table between Colleville and Mademoiselle
Minard, and the former made it his business to fill the glass of his new
neighbor, before whom was placed a dish of small cakes.

"Monsieur," said la Peyrade in a cajoling tone, "you saw how surprised
we were to hear you complain of Monsieur Felix Phellion,--so amiable, so
inoffensive a young man. What has he done to you, that you should feel
so angry with him?"

With his mouth full of cakes, which he was engulfing in quantities
that made Brigitte uneasy, the professor made a sign that he would soon
answer; then, having mistaken his glass and swallowed the contents of
Colleville's, he replied:--

"You ask what that insolent young man had done to me? A rascally thing;
and not the first, either. He knows that I cannot abide stars, having
very good reason to hate them, as you shall hear: In 1807, being
attached to the Bureau of Longitudes, I was part of the scientific
expedition sent to Spain, under the direction of my friend and
c