The Portland daily press., 1880-04-29
Les Incomprehensibles.
By Victor Hugo.
BOOK I.

By Victor Hugo.
BOOK
A man sat on picket fence.
Picket fences were invented by Charlemagne
and improved upon by Charles III. of Eng
land.
Still the man sat on the fence.
BOOK II.
The fence surrounded tall, gloomy build
ing The building had shutters at the win
dow. The man was Frenchman. There
were other Frenchmen in the same neighbor-
hood They were in bed. Frenchmen were
discovered by Oliver Cromwell and subse-
quently patented by the author. They are
copyrighted. All Frenchmen not bearing the
signature of the author are spurious.
1t was night. 1t was dark night. Darkness
is shadow that rises from the ground when
the sun goes down.
The man on the fence was thinking. His
name was Lippiatt.
Lippiatt loved Maronette. Maronette was
girl. She knew Lippiatt. She did not know
that Lippiatt loved her.
Maronette lived in the gloomy house. Lips
piatt did not tell MarOnette that he loved her.
He was contented to sit on the fence in front
of her house. He was quiet man. Like all
Frenchmen he was the bravest man in thir-
teen countries. He was tailor. A tailor is
man who promises to have your clothes done
Saturday, and then brings them around week
after next.
Lippiatt was poor. All heroes are poor
BOOK w.
Maronette opened window and SHE'D an
old boot at Lippiatt.
SIS that you, ,oLippiatt?"
"Yes," said Lippiatt.
Maronette laughed.
NMV father must the who
will bring him the Norwegian maelstrom,"
said Maropette.
Lippiatt got off the fence and walked away.
BOOK v.
Like all tailors in France Lippiatt was
good sailor. Hes stole boat and started for
the coast OF Norway. A fearful storm came
on. The world drew on heavy cloak to pro-
tect it from the storm. The sea opened
thousand mouths to swallow Lippiatt. 1t was
hungry for him. His beard and hair were
filed with salt. Great grasping hands of dark
ness reached down to snatch him.
Lippiatt only laughed.
The scene grew wilder. Monsters of water
crowded against the boat. They were reach
ing for Lippiatt. He steered his boat to avoid
them.
A wave averages 20 feet in height. 1t con-
tains 400 tons of water. 1t is thicker at the
base than at the top. In that respect it is like
a pyramid. But it is not three-cornered. 1t is
oval in shape. A round wave is water
spout. A waterspout is thick at the top and
bottom and slender in the middle.
Lippiatt knew this.
He was afraid of waves. He was fearful OF
waterspouts
In four days Lippiatt arrived at the mael
storm.
sit is for Maronette, he said.
The maelstrom is shaped like a funnel
The lower end is at the bottom. The mouth
is at the top. 1t is caused by the tides. The
Norwegians suppose it is caused BY hole in
the earth. Lippiatt knew better.
He went down in the maelstrom and fast
ened a rope around the lower end. To this
rope he adjusted blocks and pulleys. Then he
climbed out of the pit and fastened the other
end of the rope to the masthead. The blocks
gave him purchase.
He rested.
& BOOK VII.
Having rested, Lppiatt pulled on the rope.
He pulled the maelstrom inside out The bot
tom was then at the top. 1t spun around like
an inverted top.
Lippiat drove a staple into it and fastened
his line. Then he set sail. The maelstrom
followed.
"T shall marry Maronette," he said.
BOOK VIII.
Another man sat on the picket fence. 1t was
Goudenay. Goudenay loved Maronette. Mar
onette loved Goudenay.
Goudenay saw something coming in the har-
Dor.
whats that?" he asked.
1t looked like an inverted funnel 1t was
1000 feet high.
'I don't know" said Maronette.
She was right. She didn't.
BOOK TX.
Lippiatt disembarked. He took the mael-
strom on his shoulders. Then he went to the
gloomy house. He hungithe maelstrom on the
picket fence
How do you do, Goudenay?" he asked.
He knew Goudenay. He had disappointed
him about some trousers.
81 am happy" said Goudenay; I am going
to marry Maronette.
Lippiatt looked at Maronette.
"Yes," she said, II marry Goudenay this
morning."
Lippiatt went to the wedding
He gave Maronette silver card receiver.
Maronette smiled
Lippiatt went back to the picket fence. He
ate the maelstrom up.
BOOK XI.
AS the wedding party went home they saw
dead body lying beside the picket fence. The
point of the maelstrom was sticking out of the
mouth.
Good gracious!" said Maronette.
"Holy smoke!" exclaimed Goudenay.
IT. w Tipniatt