The Life of Jean Henri Fabre 



There was a parcel of big books on the table, a 

 collection of the reports on the progress of science 

 drawn up for the International Exhibition of 1867, 

 which had just closed. 



" Those books are for you," continued the min- 

 ister. " Take them with you. You can look 

 through them at your leisure: they may interest 

 you. There is something about your insects in 

 them. You're to have this too: it will pay for 

 your journey. The trip which I made you take 

 must not be at your own expense. If there is any- 

 thing over, spend it on your laboratory." 



And he handed me a roll of twelve hundred 

 francs. In vain I refused, remarking that my 

 journey was not so burdensome as all that; be- 

 sides, his embrace and his bit of ribbon were of in- 

 estimable value compared with my disbursements. 

 He insisted: 



" Take it," he said, " or I shall be very angry. 

 There's something else: you must come to the Em- 

 peror with me to-morrow, to the reception of the 

 learned societies." 



Seeing me greatly perplexed, and as though de- 

 moralised by the prospect of an imperial inter- 

 view: 



" Don't try to escape me," he said, *' or look out 

 for the gendarmes of my letter! You saw the fel- 

 lows in the bear-skin caps on your way up. Mind 

 you don't fall into their hands. In any case, lest 

 you should be tempted to run away, we will go to 

 the Tuileries together in my carriage." 



Things happened as he wished. The next day, in 



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