M. Theophrastus Longuet's reason for bequeathing this strange legacy to me was itself strange. He did not know me; but he had read articles by me in _Le Matin_, "his favourite organ"; and among the many contributors to that journal he had chosen me, not for my superior knowledge, an allegation which would have made me blush, but because he had come to the conclusion that I possessed "a more solid intellect" than the others. GASTON LEROUX CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE HISTORICAL PREFACE--THE SANDALWOOD BOX v I M. THEOPHRASTUS LONGUET DESIRES TO IMPROVE HIS MIND AND VISITS HISTORICAL MONUMENTS 1 II THE SCRAP OF PAPER 13 III THEOPHRASTUS LONGUET BURSTS INTO SONG 22 IV ADOLPHE LECAMUS IS FLABBERGASTED BUT FRANK 48 V THEOPHRASTUS SHOWS THE BLACK FEATHER 55 VI THE PORTRAIT 67 VII THE YOUNG CARTOUCHE 89 VIII THE WAX MASK 105 IX STRANGE POSITION OF A LITTLE VIOLET CAT 116 X THE EXPLANATION OF THE STRANGE ATTITUDE OF A LITTLE VIOLET CAT 124 XI THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE 135 XII THE HOUSE OF STRANGE WORDS 144 XIII THE CURE THAT MISSED 155 XIV THE OPERATION BEGINS 171 XV THE OPERATION ENDS 186 XVI THE DRAWBACKS OF PSYCHIC SURGERY 200 XVII THEOPHRASTUS BEGINS TO TAKE AN INTEREST IN THINGS 206 XVIII THE EVENING PAPER 212 XIX THE STORY OF THE CALF 221 XX THE STRANGE BEHAVIOUR OF AN EXPRESS TRAIN 234 XXI THE EARLESS MAN WITH HIS HEAD OUT OF THE WINDOW 242 XXII IN WHICH THE CATASTROPHE WHICH APPEARS ON THE POINT OF BEING EXPLAINED, GROWS YET MORE INEXPLICABLE 246 XXIII THE MELODIOUS BRICKLAYER 253 XXIV THE SOLUTION IN THE CATACOMBS 261 XXV M. MIFROID TAKES THE LEAD 273 XXVI M. LONGUET FISHES IN THE CATACOMBS 288 XXVII M. MIFROID PARTS FROM THEOPHRASTUS 300 XXVIII THEOPHRASTUS GOES INTO ETERNAL EXILE 308 ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE In horror I recognized my own handwriting. FRONTISPIECE (See page 21) Theophrastus still gazed in wonder. 100 (See page 157)