THUNDER AND THE LIGHTNING-BOD 177 



Heaven will help him who helps himself. We helped 

 ( mi-selves hy fleeing from the dangerous tree, and we 

 arrived home safe. But to help oneself effectively 

 iv<iuhvs knowledge; so, to impress these things well 

 on your mind, I emphasize once more the danger 

 that, in time of storm, lurks in high towers, stee- 

 ples, lofty buildings, and, above all, in tall and iso- 

 lated trees. As for other precautions that are com- 

 monly recommended, such as not to run, in order not 

 to cause a violent displacement of the air, and to 

 shut the doors and windows in order to prevent a 

 draught, they are of no value whatever: the direc- 

 tion taken by the thunderbolt is in no way affected 

 hy the air-currents. Railway trains, which run at 

 high speed and displace the air with so much vio- 

 lence, are not more exposed to lightning than ob- 

 jects at rest. Every-day experience is a proof of 

 it" 



"When it thunders, " said Emile, "Mother Am- 

 broisine hurries to shut all the doors and windows. ' ' 



"Mother Ambroisine is like a great many others 

 who believe they are safe as soon as they cease to 

 see the peril. They shut themselves up so as not to 

 hear the thunder nor see the lightning ; but that does 

 not in the least lessen the danger." 



"Then there are no precautions to be taken!" 

 asked Jules. 



"In tin- usual circumstances, none, unless it be 

 this precaution: to be of good heart and rely on the 

 will of God. 



"To protect fall buildings, more menaced than 

 tlicrs, we use a lightning-conductor, a wonderful in- 



