The Schoolmaster: Carpentras 



The quartermaster declared himself satis- 

 fied with this achievement. Analytic geome- 

 try did not precisely strike him as a recrea- 

 tion. He knew enough of it for what he had 

 to do; he did not want to know any more. 



In vain I hold out the glittering prospect of 

 a new degree, that of licentiate of mathematical 

 science, which would lead us to the splendours of 

 the higher mathematics and initiate us into the 

 mechanics of the heavens: I cannot prevail upon 

 him, cannot make him share my audacity. He 

 calls it a mad scheme, which will exhaust us and 

 come to nothing. I am free to go and break my 

 neck in distant countries; he is more prudent and 

 will not follow me. 



My partner, therefore, leaves me. Henceforth, 

 I am alone, alone and wretched. There is no one 

 left with whom I can sit up and thresh out the 

 subject in exhilarating discussion. 1 



And now let us note the words and the 

 emotions with which he approaches for the 

 last time, in his declining years, this town 

 of Carpentras, where, from his earliest 



Fly, chap, xii., "Mathematical Memories: The Binomial 

 Theorem." 



1 Souvenirs, IX., p. 184. passim. The Life of the Fly, 

 chap, xii., "Mathematical Memories: The Binomial Theo- 



rem." 



113 



