True Science At Work

Consternation in the tea room! Who said that?

Arthur yanks Ouvert out of his pocket, and places him on the tea table, next to the lotus nut pastries.

The doctors and professors crowd round. What an interesting specimen. Two mouths.

And its presence has undermined Lavender.

Professor Mee-mann Chang raises an eyebrow at Lavender.

You didn't know? says Professor Mee-mann Chang. Your foreknowledge is selective?

He isn't important, says Lavender. But I know what he's going to do now.

An expectant hush falls. This is true science at work.

What is Ouvert going to do now?

Lavender must tell them quickly, before Ouvert does it.

Ouvert wants to hear what it is.

He'll just sit there, says Lavender, confidently. Until I say what it is. Then he'll do the opposite.

Ouvert looks up at Arthur.

This is tricky. What should he do now?

Arthur bends down to the tea table and whispers: Do the opposite.

Ouvert is puzzled: Of what?

Quickly, says Arthur. You're losing the moment.

Bleuuuh! cries Ouvert. I give up!

Everyone looks at Lavender. What does this mean for the progress of science?

He gives up, says Lavender. That means I won.

Science is not about winning, says Professor Mee-mann Chang. The question is : Did you know it?

Yes, says Lavender. I knew he'd give up. And I'll tell you something else that will happen.

What is that? says Professor Mee-mann Chang.

Doctors Minchen Chow and Lanpo Jia are eager to hear the secret.

So are Doctors Chung-chian Young and Wenzhong Pei.

Even Doctor Zhu Min wants to know what Lavender will say.

Wait for it, says Lavender.

They wait. But Lavender has finished. That's it.

They can't help admiring her answer. They are not paleontologists for nothing.