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Victor Hugo - The Man Who Laughs - Cosmopolitan University 2

Victor Hugo - The Man Who Laughs - Cosmopolitan University 2

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"<strong>The</strong>n you are wrong," said the judge severely. Rhadamanthus returned to<br />

history.<br />

"Apropos of the accidents which happened to the cavalry of Mithridates,<br />

you have contested the virtues of herbs and plants. You have denied that<br />

a herb like the securiduca, could make the shoes of horses fall off."<br />

"Pardon me," replied Ursus. "I said that the power existed only in the<br />

herb sferra cavallo. I never denied the virtue of any herb," and he<br />

added, in a low voice, "nor of any woman."<br />

By this extraneous addition to his answer Ursus proved to himself that,<br />

anxious as he was, he was not disheartened. Ursus was a compound of<br />

terror and presence of mind.<br />

"To continue," resumed Rhadamanthus; "you have declared that it was<br />

folly in Scipio, when he wished to open the gates of Carthage, to use as<br />

a key the herb æthiopis, because the herb æthiopis has not the<br />

property of breaking locks."<br />

"I merely said that he would have done better to have used the herb<br />

lunaria."<br />

"That is a matter of opinion," murmured Rhadamanthus, touched in his<br />

turn. And the man of history was silent.<br />

<strong>The</strong> theologian, Minos, having returned to consciousness, questioned<br />

Ursus anew. He had had time to consult his notes.<br />

"You have classed orpiment amongst the products of arsenic, and you have<br />

said that it is a poison. <strong>The</strong> Bible denies this."<br />

"<strong>The</strong> Bible denies, but arsenic affirms it," sighed Ursus.<br />

<strong>The</strong> man whom Ursus called Æacus, and who was the envy of medicine, had<br />

not yet spoken, but now looking down on Ursus, with proudly half-closed<br />

eyes, he said,--<br />

"<strong>The</strong> answer is not without some show of reason."<br />

Ursus thanked him with his most cringing smile. Minos frowned<br />

frightfully. "I resume," said Minos. "You have said that it is false<br />

that the basilisk is the king of serpents, under the name of<br />

cockatrice."<br />

"Very reverend sir," said Ursus, "so little did I desire to insult the<br />

basilisk that I have given out as certain that it has a man's head."<br />

"Be it so," replied Minos severely; "but you added that Poerius had seen<br />

one with the head of a falcon. Can you prove it?"<br />

"Not easily," said Ursus.<br />

Here he had lost a little ground.<br />

Minos, seizing the advantage, pushed it.

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