elle regardait d'un air effaré ce bon vieillard, 18 qu'elle croyait mort ou du moins au fond d'un cachot. Eh bien! qu'as-tu ma Jeanne ? lui dit-il en lui prenant les mains; ne me reconnais-tu pas ? c'est moi, c'est ton oncle. A cette voix, le sentiment revint à la jeune fille,20 un long sanglot sortit de sa poitrine, et elle s'élança au cou du vieillard sans pouvoir proférer une parole. Est-ce bien possible? disait Marguerite, vous nous êtes rendu! pour toujours, n'est-ce pas ? Oh! il n'y a plus de malheurs possibles.... vous êtes là !21 Alors le vieillard leur raconta ce qui était arrivé et comment il avait été rendu à la liberté. Après cela Marguerite et Jeanne ouvrirent la pauvre chambre de leur oncle,23 qu'elles avaient tenue fermée, pendant courte absence, et il y rentra en bénissant le Seigneur de toute son âme, car il croyait l'avoir quittée pour jamais. 24 Quel sentiment éprouvèrent les deux sœurs ? 13. Se regardaient-elles? 14. Qu'entendit-on encore? 15. Que dit alors une voix du dehors ? 16. Que fit Marguerite, reconnaissant la voix? 17. Où était Jeanne alors? 18. Que faisait-elle ? 19. Que lui dit le bon vieillard? 20. Qu'arriva-t-il alors à la jeune fille ? 21. Que disait alors Margue rite? 22. Que fit alors le vieillard? 23. Que firent les deux sœurs? 24. Que fit le vieillard en rentrant dans sa chambre? NOTES AND REFERENCES.-a. from coudre; L. part ii., p. 84. -b. à la dérobée, unperceived.-c. laissa sortir, fetched.-d. L. part ii., § 77, R. (9)..-e. from savoir; L. part ii., p. 104.--f. from se taire; L. part ii., p. 108.-g. from valoir; L. part ii., p. 108.-h. L. S. 41, R. 7.-i. dehors, outside.-9. L. S. 80, R. 1.k. L. S. 93, R. 3. SECTION IV. Deux années s'écoulèrent au milieu d'un travail assidu.1 11 paraissait léger aux jeunes filles, car ce travail nourrissait celui qui les avait recueillies orphelines. Cependant, cette quiétude devait être troublée,3 car Dieu envoie des épreuves pénibles à ses fidèles serviteurs. Le marchand pour lequel travaillaient Jeanne et Marguerite, fit de mauvaises affaires, et s'enfuit, emportant une assez forte somme qu'il leur devait pour des travaux terminés; et par ce départ, le travail leur manquant tout coup, elles se trouvèrent sans pain. Il leur fallut se résigner à vendre peu à peu leurs hardes, afin que jusqu'au dernier moment, le bon Jacques Béranger ignorât l'affreuse position dans la quelle ils se frouvaient. Le Noel arriva, c'est à dire le 4 nivôse an IV.a priétaire des deux chambres que l'oncle et la nièce occuLe propaient, vint demander le loyer du semestre. Hélas! il n'y avait pas de quoi le payer. C'était un homme dur, il se facha; et Jacques Béranger apprit pour la première fois le dénûment de la petite famille. Jeanne et Marguerite supplièrent vainement le maître de la maison, en lui exposant leur misère. Que voulez vous? leur répondit-il; je ne puis me payer de belles paroles, le gouvernement ne s'en contente pas pour l'impôt; cherchez un autre asile. Vos meubles resteront c'est à peine s'ils suffiront pour me payer. -Oh! Monsieur, dit Jeanne, tout vous appartient ici.11 Mais je vous le demande en grâce, laissez-nous ce tableau, c'est un héritage de famille, nous y portons, ma sœur et moi une affection toute particulière. -Ici tout est à moi, le tableau comme le reste,13 ou bien, trouvez de l'argent! Jacques Béranger restait muet d'étonnement.14 A peine put-il articuler une parole en faveur de la demande de ses nièces. Le soir même survint un huissier, qui leur fit commandement de payer dans les vingt-quatre heures. Pauvres enfants, elles se couchèrent bien tristes? Toute la nuit, à travers la mince cloison qui les séparait du vieillard, elles l'entendirent gémir et soupirer.16 Le lendemain l'huissier revint; il saisit tous les meubles,17 au nom du propriétaire, et quelques jours après, une affiche collée sur la porte annonçait qu'un pauvre mobilier serait vendu sur la place publique. A midi on enleva tout; les deux jeunes filles et le vieillard restèrent ensemble, Jeanne et Marguerite pleuraient en silence.19 Le bon prêtre, appuyé contre le mur,20 car il n'avait pas même une chaise pour seoir, était morne et abattu. L'huissier rentra, fit une recherche minutieuse, et leur dit d'une voix émue : s'as Pardonnez-moi d'ajouter encore à votre douleur,1 mais j'exerce un devoir rigoureux....il faut que j'emporte la clef de cette chambre. Il n'osait leur dire de s'en aller.22. Jacques Béranger comprit, et, prenant ses nièces par la main, sortit,23 en jetant un dernier regard sur cette demeure qui l'avait abrité, lui et les siens, durant les orages de la révolution. Une pauvre voisine était sur le pas de sa porte ouverte; sans mot dire, elle leur montra sa chambre,24 qui signifiait : Voila tout ce que j'ai; partageons.25 rent-ils ainsi? COLLOQUIAL EXERCISE. се 1. Combien de temps passè- | 13. Que lui répondit-il ? 14. Quel sentiment éprouvait Béranger? 2. Quel était l'effet du travail des jeunes filles ? 3. Cette tranquillité dura-t- 4. Que fit le marchand? 6. Que leur fallut-il faire? taire ? 11. Que lui dit Jeanne ? 15. Qu'arriva-t-il le soir même ? 16. Qu'entendirent les jeunes filles pendant la nuit ? 17. Que fit l'huissier le lendemain ? | 18. Que fit-on à midi? 19. Que faisaient Jeanne et Marguerite ? 20. Où était le vieillard? 21. Que leur dit ensuite l'huissier ? 22. Que n'osait-il faire? 23. Que fit alors Jacques Boranger? 24. Que fit une pauvre voisine sur le pas de sa porte? 12. Que demanda-t-elle au pro- 25. Que semblat-elle dire aux priétaire? malheureux? Mais l'officier offrit de nouveau : Le murmure augmenta dans la foule,23 et de sourdes menaces s'adressèrent à l'enchérisseur. -Respect au génie !24 s'écria l'officier. C'est l'œuvre d'un peintre très célèbre, de Raphaël. Je l'offrirai au gouvernement français comme une riche conquête. Cet homme était un des plus braves généraux de la republique.25 Jugez de la joie de la pauvre famille ! Jacques Béranger plaça sûrement ses fonds avec hypothèque, et loua à la campagne une petite maison que ses nièces et lui allèrent habiter, ainsi que la bonne voisine qui les avait recueillis." Aujourd'hui le tableau de la Vierge aux Ruines se trouve dans le musée du Louvre,28 RE'NE DE SAINT-LOUIS. COLLOQUIAL EXERCISE. 1. Que firent les deux sœurs? 2. Que leur dit le bon ecclé siastique ? 3. Que se passsait-il sur la place? 4. Qu'avait-on déjà vendu? 5. Que fit alors Jacques Béran ger ? 6. Que dit le crieur ? 7. Qu'offrit d'abord un mar chand? 8. Que vociféra le crieur ? 9. Qu'allait faire Jacques Béranger? 10. Que cria une voix partie de la foule ? 11. Quel sentiment ressentit le prêtre ? 12. Que dit une autre voix? 13. Que ft alors un étranger? 14. Que cria-t-il ? 15. Que dit un brocanteur? 16. Que demandèrent à Jacques deux officiers qui passaient ? 17. Que leur répondit-il ? 18. Que dit le plus âgé? 19. Que dit-il, après avoir considéré le vieillard? 20. Quel fut l'effet de ce cri? 21. Qu'ajouta l'étranger sur pris? 22. Qu'offrit de nouveau l'officier ? 23. Que se passa-t-il dans la foule ? 24. Que dit alors l'officier? 25. Qui était cet homme? 26. Que fit, de ses fonds, Jacques Béranger? 27. On alla-t-il avec ses nieces ? 28. Qu'est devenu le tableau ? NOTES AND REFERENCES.-a. se fit jour, penetrated; from faire; L. part ii., p. 92.-b. qu'est-ce done? what is all this?—c. va déjà, reaches already; from aller; L. part ii., p. 76.-d. L. §. 41, B. 8.-e. toile, canvas.--f. recueillis, received. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. G. M. Y. A rectangle is a four-sided figure, having all its angles right angles. A right angle is one of two equal angles made by one straight line with another, upon the same side of the latter line. The straight lines by which a rectangle is said to be contained are the two sides containing ither of the right angles of the figure; those by which it is bounded are all the tour sides of the figure. The assertion, that "magnitudes which comeide with one another are equal," is properly an axiom, not a definition. WILLIAM BRENNER: We are not surprised at our correspondent's difficulty about Grek accentuation. As it is a subject of comparatively it at first, that he might not have too many difficulties to encounter all at once. minor importance, we thought it advisable not to trouble the student with We will, if possible, endeavour to meet our correspondent's wishes, by giving a few of the principal rules for Greek accentuation. But if we should be unable to do so in our limited space, he may get all neediul in ormation from an excellent little shilling work on the subject by Mr. Griffiths, an Oxford scholar. As to the Latin measures, we must decline holding out any promise of giving lessons upon them, as we have already more on hand than we can well manage. SLIPSOP will find Hann's Trigonometry in Weale's Series a useful introduction to that science. We may perhaps give a few lessons on the subject ourselves. LITERARY NOTICES. Now ready, price 9s. 6d. strongly bound. CASSELL'S FRENCH AND ENGLISH DICTIONARY: Composed from the French Dictionaries of the French Academy, Bescherelle, Landais, etc.; from the English Dictionaries of Ogilvie, Johnson, Webster, etc.; and from the Technological and Scientific Dictionaries of both Langunges. By Professor DE LULME and HENRY BRIDGEMAN, Esq. The following are the distinctive features which render this Work superior to any of the same class now extant. It has been compiled with unusual care from the very best authorities. It contains correct renderings of all the ture, commerce, law, politics, etc., as well as familiar conversation-which most modern words and phrases-including those of science, art, manufac are indispensable to a knowledge of language, but yet are rarely, if ever, to be found properly translated in any Dictionary. The idiomatic usages of the two languages-the constructions of verbs, the force of prepositions, and the changes of meaning caused by different combinations of words-are more copiously and carefully illustrated than elsewhere within the same limits. The meanings are also classined and arranged in such a manner as to prevent the possibility of mistake. To crown all, the Work is as moderate iu price as it is comprehensive in aim, accurate in detail, and superior in arrangement. The French-English Division, price 4s. paper covers, or 5s. neat cloth; the English-French Division, price 4s. paper corers, or 5. strongly bound. CASSELL'S LESSONS IN FRENCH. Parts I. and II.-By Professor FAS QUELLE. Price 28. each in paper covers, or 2s. 6d. bound in cloth. The Two Parts bound in One Volume, price 4s. 6d. A KEY TO CASSELL'S LESSONS IN FRENCH, containing Translations of all the Exercises. Price is. paper covers, or Is. 6d. cloth. A COMPLETE MANUAL OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE.-By Professor De LOLME. Price 38. neatly bound. ON PHYSICS, OR NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. No. LXI. (Continued from page 524.) DYNAMIC ELECTRICITY. The Voltaic Pile.-The name of pile is given to all apparatus which serve to develop dynamical electricity. The first apparatus of this sort, which was invented by Volta in the year 1800, consists of a series of discs piled one upon the other in the following order: a copper disc, a zinc disc, a piece of wet cloth, then again a copper disc, a zinc disc, and a piece of wet cloth, once more a copper disc, a zinc disc, and a piece of wet cloth, and so on always in the same order, as shown in fig. 418. Hence the name of pile, which is still Fig. 418, continued, though this apparatus is now arranged in very different ways. Generally the zinc and copper discs are soldered two and two together, so as to form couples, separated by linen cloths and kept vertical by means of three glass tubes full of water, as the figure shows. The form of this apparatus has led to its being called the column pile. The distribution of electricity in this pile is not the same when it is isolated at one end only-which is the case when it rests on the ground-as it is when it is isolated at both ends, by placing it on a glass or resin plate In the former case, experiment shows that the extremity in communication with the earth is in a natural state, and that the remainder of the pile contains only one kind of electricity, which is positive if the end communicating with the earth terminates in a copper disc, and negative if it is a zinc one. As to the tension, it ought to increase, according to Volta's theory, in proportion to the number of the couples, but experiment shows that it increases more slowly. The distribution of electricity is not the same in the pile that is isolated at both ends. It is proved by the electrometer, that the middle portion is then in a natural state, that each half of the pile is charged with only one kind of electricity, the one with positive and the other with negative, and that the tension increases in both parts from the middle to the extremities. It is the half with zinc at the end that is charged with positive electricity, and that with the copper at the end is charged with negative electricity. Tension of the Pile.-The tension of a pile is the tendency of VOL. V. the electricity accumulated at its extremities to disengage itself and overcome the obstacles which oppose its removal. The student must be careful not to confound the tension of a pile with the quantity of electricity that it can set free. The tension depends principally upon the number of the couples, while the quantity of electricity increases with the surface of is, the larger also is the quantity of electricity which circulates the couples, other things being equal. The larger this surface in the pile, supposing the tension to be equal. This quantity also increases with the conductibility of the liquid interposed between the couples. The tension, on the contrary, is independent of the nature of this liquid. the extremities of the pile is always less than in electrical Except for a considerable number of couples, the tension at machines. In fact, not only does each extremity, considered in itself, give no spark, but it does not even attract light bodies. It is only by means of the condensing gold-leaf electrometer that we can render the tension perceptible. For this purpose, bring one of the plates of the electrometer into communication with one of the extremities of the pile and the other with the earth. The apparatus is then instantly charged, and on breaking the communication with the pile and the earth, the pieces of gold-leaf will be seen to diverge. We can also charge a Leyden jar by bringing the internal armature into communication with one of the extremities of the pile, and the external armature with the other extremity, but this charge is much weaker than that obtained by the electrical machine. Poles, Electrodes, Currents.-In a pile, that extremity at which the positive fluid tends to accumulate is termed the positive pole, and that at which the negative fluid tends to accumulate is called the negative pole. In the column pile, and Wollaston's trough piles-of which we shall speak presently-the positive pole is the zinc and the negative the copper end. The name rheophori (current-conductors), or electrodes (electricity-paths), is applied to two metallic wires attached to the poles of the pile, fig. 418, for the purpose of bringing them into communication, so that the extremities of these wires themselves become the poles. Lastly, by the term current is denoted the recombination of the contrary electricities, which is carried on from one pole of a pile to the other, when they are brought into communication by means of the electrodes or any conducting substance whatever. The effects of the piles show that the currents are continuous, which proves that in proportion as the two elec tricities recombine along the connecting wire, the electromotive force, or rather the chemical action, decomposes a fresh quantity of natural electricity. The current is generally admitted to have one settled direction, and is supposed to go from the positive to the negative pole along the electrodes, and from the negative to the positive in the interior of the pile. But this is only a convention, for the recombination takes place as much from the positive to the negative pole, as from the negative to the positive. In all cases, the current does not commence till the moment when the two poles are put in communication by a conducting body, which is expressed by saying that the current is closed. All the properties of electricity in a state of tension then cease, but new properties appear, which characterise the currents, and will be described hereafter, when we come to speak of the effects of the piles. Trough Piles.-The voltaic pile has received various forms. That which we have already described has the disadvantage of pressing the pieces of cloth interposed between the couples, and by the weight of the metal discs squeezing out the liquid with which they are saturated. On this account, it was soon found advisable to make use of the trough pile, which is, so to speak, nothing more than a horizontal column pile. It consists of a rectangular wooden box lined inside with an isolating coat of mastic or cement, fig. 419. The zinc and copper plates, soldered together two by two, form couples, which correspond in size to the box, and are fixed in the mastic in such a manner that between the couples there are short intervening spaces or compartments called troughs. Into these is poured a mixture of water and sulphuric acid, which pile. produces the same effect as the pieces of cloth in the column The two poles communicate together by means of metallic wires attached to two copper plates, which are plunged or silver, and the bi-oxide of manganese. To construct this pile, take a sheet of paper covered with silver or tin-foil on one side, and upon the other put bi-oxide of manganese well washed, in combination with some greasy substance. Having placed seven or eight of these leaves one upon the other, cut them with a punch into circular pieces of about an inch in diameter, and place these discs in regular order, in such a manner that the silver or tin-foil of each disc may be in contact with the manganese of the next. Having thus piled Fig. 419. water. But the zinc and copper plates which dip into the same jar belong to different couples, fig. 420. Starting from the left of the figure, a small copper stripe is soldered to a thick zinc plate z, and the two together constitute the first couple. A second copper plate a of the same size as the zinc surrounds it without touching it, and is united with a copper strip o, which is soldered to a second zinc plate z, forming with it the second couple. The zinc plate of this second couple is in the same manner surrounded with copper da, which is soldered to a third zinc plate, and so on to as many couples as may be desired. The first copper strip c, being soldered to a zinc plate, represents the negative pole. As for the positive pole, it corresponds to the last copper plate em, which, not being in contact with any zinc, only takes from the liquid the positive fluid which is supplied to it by the last couple. All the couples are attached to a wooden crossbar, which can be raised or lowered at pleasure between four uprights, and is removed as soon as the pile is no longer wanted for operation. Generally, the water in the jars is mixed with one-sixteenth of sulphuric acid and one-twentieth of nitric acid; but the pile answers very well with only sulphuric acid in the water. Munck's Pile.-M. Munck, professor of natural philosophy at Strasburg, gave Wollaston's pile a more simple form, by making all the couples dip into the same wooden trough lined inside with mastic. Fig. 421, which represents a pile of twenty couples, shows how the plates of these couples are vertically united. This pile occupying a small space, produces very powerful but varied effects. Dry Piles are really column piles, in which the pieces of cloth are exchanged for a solid hygrometrical substance. There are several sorts of them. In Zamboni's pile, which is most frequently employed, the electro-motive metals are tin |