an Bersot at the
French _Ecole Normale_--all this is enough, on my word, to upset the
wits of the best balanced."

"What do I think, my poor friend? Why, just what you yourself think. I
don't understand it at all, not at all. What you politely call my
learning is not worth a cent. And why shouldn't I be all mixed up?
This living in caves amazes me. Pliny speaks of the natives living in
caves, seven days' march southwest of the country of the Amantes, and
twelve days to the westward of the great Syrte. Herodotus says also
that the Garamentes used to go out in their chariots to hunt the
cave-dwelling Ethopians. But here we are in Ahaggar, in the midst of
the Targa country, and the best authorities tell us that the Tuareg
never have been willing to live in caves. Duveyrier is precise on that
point. And what is this, I ask you, but a cave turned into a workroom,
with pictures of the Venus de Medici and the Apollo Sauroctone on the
walls? I tell you that it is enough to drive you mad."

And Morhange threw himself on a couch and began to roar with laughter
again.

"See," I said, "this is Latin."

I had picked up several scattered papers from the work-table in the
middle of the room. Morhange took them from my hands and devoured them
greedily. His face expressed unbounded stupefaction.

"Stranger and stranger, my boy. Someone here is composing, with much
citation of texts, a dissertation on the Gorgon Islands: _de Gorgonum
insulis_. Medusa, according to him, was a Libyan savage who lived near
Lake Triton, our present Chott Melhrir, and it is there that Perseus
... Ah!"

Morhange's words choked in his throat. A sharp, shrill voice pierced
the immense room.

"Gentlemen, I beg you, let my papers alone."

I turned toward the newcomer.

One of the Caramani curtains was drawn aside, and the most unexpected
of persons came in. Resigned as we were to unexpected events, the
improbability of this sight exceeded anything our imaginations could
have devised.

On the threshold stood a little bald-headed man with a pointed sallow
face half hidden by an enormous pair of green spectacles and a pepper
and salt beard. No shirt was visible, but an impressive broad red
cravat. He wore white trousers. Red leather slippers furnished the
only Oriental suggestion of his costume.

He wore, not without pride, the rosette of an officer of the
Department of Education.

He collected the papers which Morhange had dropped in his amazement,