Page:The New Monthly Magazine - Volume 096.djvu/436

420 Such high numbers are scarcely ever asked, but eight, nine, and ten figures are expressed by the previous use, in the same manner as for seven, of the words, "," or "," "," and "."

Whenever the number consists of a repetition of the same figure, the guiding expression at the beginning of the sentence is followed only by one word announcing what the figure is; thus, if 333 be asked, the question would simply be, "Bien—." "Bien" shows that there are three figures, and the C must be multiplied to that extent. If 888,888 were required, the operator would say, "Bien, très bien—,"

The ordinary fractions, $1⁄4$, $1⁄2$, and $3⁄4$, are expressed by "Dites," "Dites donc," and "Dites le donc;" $1⁄3$ and $2⁄3$ by "Eh, dites," and "Eh, dites donc." Large fractions are announced by the word "Maintenant," and are expressed ty the already given process, with a marked hesitation between the two terms.

Thus:

$183⁄950$ Maintenant— —   a écrit.

Such is the hey to second sight in numbers. It is certainly vastly ingenious, and is very creditable to M, Gandon, who is supposed to have been its inventor. It is extremely easy to practise, and the young lady readers of these pages will do well to get it up as a drawing-room amusement.

The key to the announcement of objects, flowers, cards, and names, is not quite so simple, and requires in its working a considerably greater effort of memory and calculation.

It consists in changing the meaning of all the letters of the alphabet, and in composing the questions which are addressed to the subject of words commencing with the letters which, in regular alphabetical order, immediately follow those which form the name of the object to be described. If the name of the object begin with C, the operator must employ the letter D to commence his phrase; and if the second letter of the name be O, the second word in the phrase must begin with P, With the exceptions named in the following table, this rule is acted upon throughout the alphabet.