At last, a rest day, in Toulouse.
Belle has invited Team Philosophe and Team Condor to a picnic in the Jardin des Plantes.
Sweezus, Arthur, Gaius and Terence have arrived early.
Terence has his eye on the sky.
Roo-kai may be coming.
Where are we meeting? asks Gaius.
By the statue of Hippomène, says Sweezus.
How appropriate, says Gaius.
They have a map, so they soon find the statue.
Ten minutes later, Belle arrives with Denis Diderot.
They are carrying baskets.
Belle spreads out a rug.
Who's for a glass of Negrette? asks Belle.
Everyone, except Terence.
Denis pulls out a large bowl of cassoulet, and some spoons.
Belle slices baguettes with a knife, and produces some foie gras.
There's also saucisses de Toulouse, says Belle. And a special dessert after.
Vello and David arrive.
Were you lost? asks Terence.
No, says Vello. Of course not. Why do you ask?
Because this is a trick statue, says Terence.
Vello looks up at the statue.
A perfectly ordinary Hippomène.
A young man running, looking sneaky, holding aloft an apple.
What's the trick? asks David.
It doesn't look like a hippo, says Terence.
Ha ha! laughs Denis Diderot. No it doesn't.
It's not meant to be a hippo, says Belle. It's Hippomène, who tricked Atalanta.
By turning into a hippo, says Terence.
No, says Belle. He had to beat her in a race so that he could marry her, but she was super fast, so he tricked her by dropping three golden apples.
He's only got one, says Terence.
He must have dropped the other two already, says Belle.
So he's going to eat the last one, says Terence.
The statue of Hippomène would like to kick Terence. Eat a golden apple? What a stupid infant.
But he can't.
Help yourselves to the cassoulet, says Belle.
They dig in with their spoons.
By the way, did you guys clean your handlebars after yesterday? asks Belle.
We were going to says Sweezus, but Arthur reckons they're better sticky.
I cleaned mine, says Gaius. So we'll see which is better.
A good experiment, says Denis Diderot. More wine anyone?
He opens a bottle of Cabernet Franc, as the Negrette is finished.
Can I look for parrots? asks Terence.
Okay, but don't go too far, says Belle.
The cassoulet bowl is now empty. She bring out the saucissons and forks. And more baguettes, which she starts slicing.
Terence wanders off.
He is looking for parrots, and two dropped golden apples.
Nothing. Only a statue of a young woman running.
When he gets back, Belle is revealing the dessert.
La fénétra! says Belle. A traditional Toulousian dessert.
There's meringue on the top. She cuts into it.
The filling is golden.
Apricots. Not golden apples.
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