The Life of the Weevil 
the emerald to the pearl? The whole 
necklace throws me into an ecstasy of admi- 
ration.’ 
““ ‘Well, as for me, there is something of 
which I am prouder than of all my sonnets, 
something which has done more than my 
verses to establish my fame.’ 
“T open my eyes wide: 
‘* ‘What is that?’ I ask. 
“The master gives me a _ mischievous 
glance; then, with that fine light in his eyes 
which fires his youthful features, he exclaims, 
triumphantly: 
““*T have discovered the etymology of the 
word haricot.’ 
“T was too much astounded even to laugh. 
““*What I tell you is perfectly serious.’ 
‘“*My dear master, I knew your reputa- 
tion for profound scholarship; but from that 
to imagining that you owed your fame to 
discovering the etymology of the word 
haricot: ah no, I should never have expected 
that! Can you tell me how you made the 
discovery ?” 
“With pleasure. It was like this: I 
found some particulars about haricots when 
276 
