hether thirst is quenched by the
application of water to the epidermis. They came back out of breath,
both of them having caught cold.

Experiments in hearing, speech, and vision were then made in a lively
fashion; but Bouvard made a show-off on the subject of generation.

Pecuchet's reserve with regard to this question had always surprised
him. His friend's ignorance appeared to him so complete that Bouvard
pressed him for an explanation, and Pecuchet, colouring, ended by making
an avowal.

Some rascals had on one occasion dragged him into a house of ill-fame,
from which he made his escape, preserving himself for the woman whom he
might fall in love with some day. A fortunate opportunity had never come
to him, so that, what with bashfulness, limited means, obstinacy, the
force of custom, at fifty-two years, and in spite of his residence in
the capital, he still possessed his virginity.

Bouvard found difficulty in believing it; then he laughed hugely, but
stopped on perceiving tears in Pecuchet's eyes--for he had not been
without attachments, having by turns been smitten by a rope-dancer, the
sister-in-law of an architect, a bar-maid, and a young washerwoman; and
the marriage had even been arranged when he had discovered that she was
_enceinte_ by another man.

Bouvard said to him:

"There is always a way to make up for lost time. Come--no sadness! I
will take it on myself, if you like."

Pecuchet answered, with a sigh, that he need not think any more about
it; and they went on with their physiology.

Is it true that the surfaces of our bodies are always letting out a
subtle vapour? The proof of it is that the weight of a man is decreasing
every minute. If each day what is wanting is added and what is excessive
subtracted, the health would be kept in perfect equilibrium. Sanctorius,
the discoverer of this law, spent half a century weighing his food every
day together with its excretions, and took the weights himself, giving
himself no rest, save for the purpose of writing down his computations.

They tried to imitate Sanctorius; but, as their scales could not bear
the weight of both of them, it was Pecuchet who began.

He took his clothes off, in order not to impede the perspiration, and he
stood on the platform of the scales perfectly naked, exposing to view,
in spite of his modesty, his unusually long torso, resembling a
cylinder, together with his short legs and his brown skin. Beside him,
on his chair,