_A Dissertation on Fish_
|M. LONGUET had from the first been complaining of his great hunger.
He was getting very weak, and the end of the thirty-sixth hour saw him
cursing their misfortune. However, what would have been the good of a
little food? They were buried alive, and food would have been like a
buoy to a shipwrecked sailor, alone in the middle of the ocean. It could
only serve to prolong the agony.
M. Mifroid was more philosophical. He said that if there had been
anything to eat to give them strength to continue their way, he would
have been the first to suggest their stopping. But, with the exception
of some mushrooms, probably poisonous, that his watchful eye had seen,
there was nothing, so he urged M. Longuet to tramp on. M. Longuet,
however, was unreasonable; he said he was hungry, and yet did not seem
able to exert himself to get out of the catacombs.
He asked M. Mifroid question after question as to the catacombs and what
he could eat to stay his terrible hunger. M. Mifroid tried to keep him
interested by telling him of a visit he had made to the laboratory in
the catacombs of M. M. Edwards. He told him of the fauna and the flora
in obscure and cavernous places, of which, if necessary, he could make a
meal.
Although the conversation was in vain, as far as its effects on
Théophraste were concerned, M. Mifroid kept on. Hungry men are always
eager to talk of things to eat, and although he didn’t wish to
acknowledge his hunger, he spoke of these things, and in endeavoring to
put spirit into Théophraste allayed his own feelings.
“My dear friend,” said he to Théophraste, “it may be that even if
we don’t get out of the catacombs we will not die of hunger. There is
a stream somewhere here, and I have heard that there are certain fishes
therein. They are not large fish, but there are incalculable quantities
of them. They are of different sizes, and are not unpleasant to
taste.”
“Have you seen them?” asked Théophraste.
“No; but my friend, M. Edwards, told me about them when I visited the
Fountain of the Fanaisetan.”
“Is that far from here?”
“I can’t tell you just now—all that I know is that this fountain
was constructed in 1810 by M. Hericourt de Thury, engineer of the
subterranean quarries. This fountain is inhabited by the cope-podes.”
“Are they fish?”
“Yes, they present some very singular modifications of tissues and
colorative. They have a beautiful red eye. That is why they are called
cyclops. That this fish has only one eye ought not to astonish you, for
the asellus aquaticus, which lives as well in the running water of the
catacombs, is a small isopode aquatic, which often has no eyes at all.
Many species have, instead of an eye, only a small red pig snout; others
have not a trace of one. They do not need to see clearly, since they
live in darkness. Nature is perfect, and never found wanting. It only
gives eyes to those who can use them, and does not give them to those to
whom they are unnecessary.”
Théophraste was struck by M. Mifroid’s words.
“Then,” said he, “if we continue to live in the catacombs we will
end by not having eyes!”
“Evidently we will commence to lose the use of our sight and
eventually become blind.”
Then Théophraste insisted upon M. Mifroid continuing his talk on
these fish that could be found in the catacombs, and which they would,
perhaps, have to eat. He was thus induced to give a sort of lecture on
the modifications of the organs, and their excessive development, or
their atrophy, following the ways frequented by individuals.
He continued: “So the fish of which I speak have no eyes. Their sense
organs present modifications. For instance, the asellus aquaticus, even
of the normal species, is armed with small, flat organs, terminated by a
pore, that are considered olfactory organs. They are veritable olfactory
cudgels, and these very fish which do not see know the space around
them as well, possibly better, than if they could see in the light, so
perfectly developed are these olfactory and tactile organs. Yes, my dear
Théophraste, there are circumstances in the lives of some living
things where the nose takes the place of the eyes, and the nose can thus
acquire perfectly incredible dimensions. In the wells of Padirac there
was found an asellide which possessed olfactory cudgels of an amazing
length.”
“Are there none in the running waters of the catacombs?” demanded
Théophraste.
“No, none at all. Yet there are found many sorts of cavernical fish,
such, for example, as the niphugus puleamus, and this is found in great
abundance. Their ocular organs are atrophied.”
This, however, did not interest Théophraste, who had got his own idea.
“Do you know how they fish for them?” he asked.
“I cannot say,” said Mif roid; “but we can surely get some sort of
bait from the surrounding vege-matter.”
In a little while they both fell asleep, dreaming of this water which
was to bring them relief. However, though their dreams were pleasant
enough, there were surprises for them when they awoke.