The Life of Jean Henri Fabre 



in struggling. What a dehghtful afternoon that 

 was, before my fire, amid my permutations and com- 

 binations! By the evening, I had nearly mastered 

 my subject. When the bell rang, at seven, to sum- 

 mon us to the common meal at the principal's table, 

 I vi^ent dow^nstairs puffed up with the joys of the 

 newly-initiated neophyte. I was escorted on my 

 way by a, h, and c, intertwined in cunning gar- 

 lands. 



Next day, my pupil is there. Blackboard and 

 chalk, everything is ready. Not quite so ready 

 is the master. I bravely broach my binomial the- 

 orem. My hearer becomes interested in the com- 

 binations of letters. Not for a moment does he 

 suspect that I am putting the cart before the horse 

 and beginning where we ought to have finished. 

 I relieve the dryness of my explanations with a 

 few little problems, so many halts at which the 

 mind takes breath awhile and gathers strength for 

 fresh flights. 



We try together. Discreetly, so as to leave him 

 the merit of the discovery, I shed a little light upon 

 the path. The solution is found. My pupil tri- 

 umphs; so do I, but silently, in my inner con- 

 sciousness, which says : 



* You understand, because you succeed in mak- 

 ing another understand." 



The hour passed quickly and very pleasantly for 

 both of us. My young man was contented when 

 he left me; and I no less so, for I perceived a new 

 and original way of learning things. 



The ingenious and easy arrangement of the bi- 



io6 



