"Why not? To explore the old caravan route, to demonstrate that a
connection has existed from the most ancient times between the
Mediterranean world, and the country of the Blacks, that seems nothing
in your eyes? The hope of settling once for all the secular disputes
which have divided so many keen minds; d'Anville, Heeren, Berlioux,
Quatremere on the one hand,--on the other Gosselin, Walckenaer,
Tissit, Vivien, de saint-Martin; you think that that is devoid of
interest? A plague upon you for being hard to please."

"I spoke of practical value," I said. "You won't deny that this
controversy is only the affair of cabinet geographers and office
explorers."

Morhange kept on smiling.

"Dear friend, don't wither me. Deign to recall that your mission was
confided to you by the Ministry of War, while I hold mine on behalf of
the Ministry of Public Instruction. A different origin justifies our
different aims. It certainly explains, I readily concede that to you,
why what I am in search of has no practical value."

"You are also authorized by the Ministry of Commerce," I replied,
playing my next card. "By this chief you are instructed to study the
possibility of restoring the old trade route of the ninth century. But
on this point don't attempt to mislead me; with your knowledge of the
history and geography of the Sahara, your mind must have been made up
before you left Paris. The road from Djerid to the Niger is dead,
stone dead. You knew that no important traffic would pass by this
route before you undertook to study the possibility of restoring it."