A STUDIOUS BOYHOOD 15 



order not to scatter his efforts too widely. On 

 August 13, 1842, he was passed, at Dijon, as 

 Bachelor of Mathematical Sciences, with low 

 notes in chemistry, and on the 26th of the 

 same month, in the competitive examination 

 for the ficole Normale, he obtained fifteenth 

 place out of the twenty-two candidates who 

 were declared eligible to take the second tests. 

 Far from satisfied with this last result, he de- 

 cided not to continue in the competition, but 

 to devote another year to preparation, in order 

 to make a brilliant entry into this great school 

 which was the object of his highest ambitions. 

 To this end he left Besangon, and, strong of 

 purpose, precociously mature, confident that 

 this time he would be able to conquer the re- 

 gret which he was bound to feel at being sepa- 

 rated from the family that he loved so ten- 

 derly, he once more set his face towards Paris, 

 at the end of his vacation in 1842, with the 

 firm determination to fulfil his duty towards 

 himself and towards science. 



