I have so much admiration for you! You have done such wonderful work in connection with explosives!" Then, noticing the chemist's astonishment, she again burst into a laugh: "I am the Princess de Harn, your brother Abbe Froment knows me, and I ought to have asked him to introduce me.

However, we have mutual friends, you and I; for instance, Monsieur Janzen, a very distinguished man, as you are aware.

He was to have taken me to see you, for I am a modest disciple of yours.

Yes, I have given some attention to chemistry, oh! from pure zeal for truth and in the hope of helping good causes, not otherwise.

So you will let me call on you--won't you ?--directly I come back from Christiania, where I am going with my young friend here, just to acquire some experience of unknown emotions." In this way she rattled on, never allowing the others an opportunity to say a word.