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birds； an onager； sir； would run the best Arab or Persian horses to
death。 According to the father of the conscientious Doctor Niebuhr；
whose recent loss we are deploring； as you doubtless know； the
ordinary average pace of one of these wonderful creatures would be
seven thousand geometric feet per hour。 Our own degenerate race of
donkeys can give no idea of the ass in his pride and independence。 He
is active and spirited in his demeanor； he is cunning and sagacious；
there is grace about the outlines of his head； every movement is full
of attractive charm。 In the East he is the king of beasts。 Turkish and
Persian superstition even credits him with a mysterious origin； and
when stories of the prowess attributed to him are told in Thibet or in
Tartary； the speakers mingle Solomon's name with that of this noble
animal。 A tame onager； in short； is worth an enormous amount； it is
well…nigh impossible to catch them among the mountains； where they
leap like roebucks； and seem as if they could fly like birds。 Our myth
of the winged horse； our Pegasus； had its origin doubtless in these
countries； where the shepherds could see the onager springing from one
rock to another。 In Persia they breed asses for the saddle； a cross
between a tamed onager and a she…ass； and they paint them red；
following immemorial tradition。 Perhaps it was this custom that gave
rise to our own proverb； 'Surely as a red donkey。' At some period when
natural history was much neglected in France； I think a traveler must
have brought over one of these strange beasts that endures servitude
with such impatience。 Hence the adage。 The skin that you have laid
before me is the skin of an onager。 Opinions differ as to the origin
of the name。 Some claim that Chagri is a Turkish word； others insist
that Chagri must be the name of the place where this animal product
underwent the chemical process of preparation so clearly described by
Pallas； to which the peculiar graining that we admire is due；
Martellens has written to me saying that Chaagri is a river〃
〃I thank you； sir； for the information that you have given me； it
would furnish an admirable footnote for some Dom Calmet or other； if
such erudite hermits yet exist； but I have had the honor of pointing
out to you that this scrap was in the first instance quite as large as
that map；〃 said Raphael； indicating an open atlas to Lavrille； 〃but it
has shrunk visibly in three months' time〃
〃Quite so；〃 said the man of science。 〃I understand。 The remains of any
substance primarily organic are naturally subject to a process of
decay。 It is quite easy to understand； and its progress depends upon
atmospherical conditions。 Even metals contract and expand appreciably；
for engineers have remarked somewhat considerable interstices between
great blocks of stone originally clamped together with iron bars。 The
field of science is boundless； but human life is very short； so that
we do not claim to be acquainted with all the phenomena of nature。〃
〃Pardon the question that I am about to ask you； sir；〃 Raphael began；
half embarrassed； 〃but are you quite sure that this piece of skin is
subject to the ordinary laws of zoology； and that it can be
stretched？〃
〃Certainlyoh； bother！〃 muttered M。 Lavrille； trying to stretch
the talisman。 〃But if you； sir； will go to see Planchette；〃 he added；
〃the celebrated professor of mechanics； he will certainly discover
some method of acting upon this skin； of softening and expanding it。〃
〃Ah； sir； you are the preserver of my life；〃 and Raphael took leave of
the learned naturalist and hurried off to Planchette； leaving the
worthy Lavrille in his study； all among the bottles and dried plants
that filled it up。
Quite unconsciously Raphael brought away with him from this visit； all
of science that man can grasp； a terminology to wit。 Lavrille； the
worthy man； was very much like Sancho Panza giving to Don Quixote the
history of the goats； he was entertaining himself by making out a list
of animals and ticking them off。 Even now that his life was nearing
its end； he was scarcely acquainted with a mere fraction of the
countless numbers of the great tribes that God has scattered； for some
unknown end； throughout the ocean of worlds。
Raphael was well pleased。 〃I shall keep my ass well in hand；〃 cried
he。 Sterne had said before his day； 〃Let us take care of our ass； if
we wish to live to old age。〃 But it is such a fantastic brute！
Planchette was a tall； thin man； a poet of a surety； lost in one
continual thought； and always employed in gazing into the bottomless
abyss of Motion。 Commonplace minds accuse these lofty intellects of
madness； they form a misinterpreted race apart that lives in a
wonderful carelessness of luxuries or other people's notions。 They
will spend whole days at a stretch； smoking a cigar that has gone out；
and enter a drawing…room with the buttons on their garments not in
every case formally wedded to the button…holes。 Some day or other；
after a long time spent in measuring space； or in accumulating Xs
under Aa…Gg； they succeed in analyzing some natural law； and resolve
it into its elemental principles； and all on a sudden the crowd gapes
at a new machine； or it is a handcart perhaps that overwhelms us with
astonishment by the apt simplicity of its construction。 The modest man
of science smiles at his admirers； and remarks； 〃What is that
invention of mine？ Nothing whatever。 Man cannot create a force； he can
but direct it； and science consists in learning from nature。〃
The mechanician was standing bolt upright； planted on both feet； like
some victim dropped straight from the gibbet； when Raphael broke in
upon him。 He was intently watching an agate ball that rolled over a
sun…dial； and awaited its final settlement。 The worthy man had
received neither pension nor decoration； he had not known how to make
the right use of his ability for calculation。 He was happy in his life
spent on the watch for a discovery； he had no thought either of
reputation； of the outer world； nor even of himself； and led the life
of science for the sake of science。
〃It is inexplicable；〃 he exclaimed。 〃Ah； your servant； sir；〃 he went
on； becoming aware of Raphael's existence。 〃How is your mother？ You
must go and see my wife。〃
〃And I also could have lived thus；〃 thought Raphael； as he recalled
the learned man from his meditations by asking of him how to produce
any effect on the talisman； which he placed before him。
〃Although my credulity must amuse you； sir；〃 so the Marquis ended； 〃I
will conceal nothing from you。 That skin seems to me to be endowed
with an insuperable power of resistance。〃
〃People of fashion； sir； always treat science rather superciliously；〃
said Planchette。 〃They all talk to us pretty much as the incroyable
did when he brought some ladies to see Lalande just after an eclipse；
and remarked； 'Be so good as to begin it over again！' What effect do
you want to p