uld distinguish
cracklings of wood.

An illusion! Nothing had budged.

The other day when the Aubert and Lorraine families had come from
Lisieux and they had expressly borrowed Beljambe's table for the
occasion, everything had gone on so well. But this to-day exhibited a
certain obstinacy. Why?

The carpet undoubtedly counteracted it, and they changed to the
dining-room.

The round table, which was on rollers, glided towards the right-hand
side. The operators, without displacing their fingers, followed its
movements, and of its own accord it made two turns. They were astounded.

Then M. Alfred articulated in a loud voice:

"Spirit, how do you find my cousin?"

The table, slowly oscillating, struck nine raps. According to a slip of
paper, in which the number of raps were translated by letters, this
meant "Charming."

A number of voices exclaimed "Bravo!"

Then Marescot, to tease Madame Bordin, called on the spirit to declare
her exact age.

The foot of the table came down with five taps.

"What? five years!" cried Girbal.

"The tens don't count," replied Foureau.

The widow smiled, though she was inwardly annoyed.

The replies to the other questions were missing, so complicated was the
alphabet.

Much better was the plane table--an expeditious medium of which
Mademoiselle Laverriere had made use for the purpose of noting down in
an album the direct communications of Louis XII., Clemence Isaure,
Franklin, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and others. These mechanical
contrivances are sold in the Rue d'Aumale. M. Alfred promised one of
them; then addressing the schoolmistress: "But for a quarter of an hour
we should have a little music; don't you think so? A mazurka!"

Two metal chords vibrated. He took his cousin by the waist, disappeared
with her, and came back again.

The sweep of her dress, which just brushed the doors as they passed,
cooled their faces. She flung back her head; he curved his arms. The
gracefulness of the one, the playful air of the other, excited general
admiration; and, without waiting for the rout cakes, Pecuchet took
himself off, amazed at the evening's exhibition.

In vain did he repeat: "But I have seen it! I have seen it!"

Bouvard denied the facts, but nevertheless consented to make an
experiment himself.

For a fortnight they spent every afternoon facing each other, with their
hands over a table, then over a hat, over a basket, and over plates. All
these remained motionless.