Barty would then do a simple problem out of Legendre (the French
Euclid), and M. Laferte would look on with deep interest and
admiration, but evidently no comprehension whatever. Then he would
take the pen himself, and draw a shapeless figure, with A's and B's
and C's and D's stuck all over it in impossible places, and quite at
hazard, and say:
"Demontre-moi que A + B est plus grand que C + D." It was mere
idiotic nonsense, and he didn't know better!
But Barty would manage to demonstrate it all the same, and M.
Laferte would sigh deeply, and exclaim, "C'est joliment beau, la
geometrie!"