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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 produce？ The object of the science of mechanics is either
the application or the neutralization of the laws of motion。 As for
motion pure and simple； I tell you humbly； that we cannot possibly
define it。 That disposed of； unvarying phenomena have been observed
which accompany the actions of solids and fluids。 If we set up the
conditions by which these phenomena are brought to pass； we can
transport bodies or communicate locomotive power to them at a
predetermined rate of speed。 We can project them； divide them up in a
few or an infinite number of pieces； accordingly as we break them or
grind them to powder； we can twist bodies or make them rotate； modify；
compress； expand； or extend them。 The whole science； sir； rests upon a
single fact。
〃You see this ball；〃 he went on； 〃here it lies upon this slab。 Now； it
is over there。 What name shall we give to what has taken place； so
natural from a physical point of view； so amazing from a moral？
Movement； locomotion； changing of place？ What prodigious vanity lurks
underneath the words。 Does a name solve the difficulty？ Yet it is the
whole of our science for all that。 Our machines either make direct use
of this agency； this fact； or they convert it。 This trifling
phenomenon； applied to large masses； would send Paris flying。 We can
increase speed by an expenditure of force； and augment the force by an
increase of speed。 But what are speed and force？ Our science is as
powerless to tell us that as to creat