required a reflecting-furnace with a basket funnel. They learned
how sugar is clarified, and the different kinds of boilings, the large
and the small system of boiling twice over, the blowing system, the
methods of making up in balls, the reduction of sugar to a viscous
state, and the making of burnt sugar. But they longed to use the still;
and they broached the fine liqueurs, beginning with the aniseed cordial.
The liquid nearly always drew away the materials with it, or rather they
stuck together at the bottom; at other times they were mistaken as to
the amount of the ingredients. Around them shone great copper pans;
egg-shaped vessels projected their narrow openings; saucepans hung from
the walls. Frequently one of them culled herbs on the table, while the
other made the ball swing in the suspended bowl. They stirred the
ladles; they tasted the mashes.

Bouvard, always in a perspiration, had no garment on save his shirt and
his trousers, drawn up to the pit of his stomach by his short braces;
but, giddy as a bird, he would forget the opening in the centre of the
cucurbit, or would make the fire too strong.

Pecuchet kept muttering calculations, motionless in his long blouse, a
kind of child's smock-frock with sleeves; and they looked upon
themselves as very serious people engaged in very useful occupations.

At length they dreamed of a cream which would surpass all others. They
would put into it coriander as in Kummel, kirsch as in Maraschino,
hyssop as in Chartreuse, amber-seed as in Vespetro cordial, and sweet
calamus as in Krambambuly; and it would be coloured red with sandalwood.
But under what name should they introduce it for commercial
purposes?--for they would want a name easy to retain and yet fanciful.
Having turned the matter over a long time, they determined that it
should be called "Bouvarine."

About the end of autumn stains appeared in the three glass bowls
containing the preserves. The tomatoes and green peas were rotten. That
must have been due to the way they had stopped up the vessels. Then the
problem of stoppage tormented them. In order to try the new methods,
they required money; and the farm had eaten up their resources.

Many times tenants had offered themselves; but Bouvard would not have
them. His principal farm-servant carried on the cultivation according to
his directions, with a risky economy, to such an extent that the crops
diminished and everything was imperilled; and they were ta