EXAMINATION BY M. LEGENDRE. i) 



I entered his study at the moment when M. T , 



who was to undergo his examination before me, having 

 fainted away, was being carried out in the arms of two 

 servants. I thought that this circumstance would have 

 moved and softened M. Legendre ; but it had no such 

 effect. " What is your name," he said to me sharply. 

 " Arago," I answered. " You are not French then ? ' : 

 " If I was not French I should not be before you ; for I 

 have never heard of any one being admitted into the 

 school unless his nationality had been proved." " I 

 maintain that he is not French whose name is Arago." 

 " I maintain, on my side, that I am French, and a very 

 good Frenchman too, however strange my name may 

 appear to you." " Very well ; we will not discuss the 

 point farther ; go to the board." 



I had scarcely taken up the chalk, when M. Legendre, 

 returning to the first subject of his preoccupations, said 

 to me : " You were born in one of the departments re- 

 cently united to France ? " " No, sir ; I was born in the 

 department of the Eastern Pyrenees, at the foot of the 

 Pyrenees." " Oh ! why did you not tell me that at once ? 

 all is now explained. You are of Spanish origin, are 

 you not ? * " Possibly ; but in my humble family there 

 are no authentic documents preserved which could enable 

 me to trace back the civil position of my ancestors ; each 

 one there is the child of his own deeds. I declare to you 

 again that I am French, and that ought to be sufficient 

 for you." 



The vivacity of this last answer had not disposed M. 

 Legendre in my favour. I saw this very soon ; for, hav- 

 ing put a question to me which required the use of 

 double integrals, he stopped me, saying : " The method 

 which you are following was not given to you by the 



