"Without accepting anything for it?"
"It is a gift," I said.
"Including the purple emperor there in the case? That butterfly is
worth a great deal of money," persisted Le Bihan.
"You don't suppose that we would wish to sell that specimen, do you?" I
answered a trifle sharply.
"If I were you I should destroy it," said the mayor in his high-pitched
voice.
"That would be nonsense," said I, "like your burying the brass cylinder
and scroll yesterday."
"It was not nonsense," said Le Bihan doggedly, "and I should prefer not
to discuss the subject of the scroll."