Arthur, led by the gentleman who was with him, walked through the gates of the French Academy of Sciences and strolled down the boulevard.

Through the windows of the Academy's historic building, you can see sunlight dappling the smooth marble floors, creating dappled light and shadows.

Desks in almost every office are littered with academic reports and research papers, but depending on the personality of the lab owner, they are either neatly stacked or thrown out in a haphazard manner.

In lecture halls and conference rooms, Arthur also saw a young physicist standing in front of a blackboard, writing formulas in chalk and explaining his latest theories to other scholars. His words are loud and sound, and they are accompanied by a variety of passionate gestures.

This made Arthur wonder if the old man sitting in the audience would suddenly pull out his pistol and send them to heaven if he didn't approve of him.

As for the chemistry labs, it is obviously more lively, with chemists busy conducting various experiments. The color change in the test tube, the ticking of the instrument, and the occasional slight explosion. Hell knows if these French are working on a new type of explosive.

All in all, the French Academy of Sciences may seem no different from the Royal Society, and the only difference between the two may be that the French are naturally much more enthusiastic than the Britons, so that even the scientists who are known for their calmness are much more lively than their British counterparts.

When it comes to mathematics, Liu Weil is like opening the conversation, and he gushes about his recent scientific research results: "In fact, I have been studying the works of Leibniz, Euler, and Bernoulli for the past two years, trying to classify algebraic functions and transcendental functions. I just submitted the first classification paper to the Academy of Sciences last year, and the second one has already been written, if you are interested, you may wish to help me palm my eyes and see what else can be modified......"

This was not because he could not read the equations on the calculation paper, but on the contrary, he was surprised to find that he was familiar with all of them.

Arthur opened the pen, and as the tip of the pen touched the calculus paper, the feeling of his school days seemed to be attached to him again.

Facing the enthusiastic Liu Wei, Arthur had to find another way: "Hmm...... I was not in a hurry, but I suddenly became interested in your annual essay. Joseph, it may be presumptuous to say that, but can you find me a quiet place where I can think about how to solve this problem? ”

"So you're a teaching assistant?"

Arthur was distraught by the Red Devil, and he knew he couldn't count on this guy at this time.

Facing the bright sunshine outside the window, through the glass window, you can see his bright smile as always.

One person and one ghost were still arguing, and Liu Wei had already taken the lead in front of the quiet library he had called.

However, Arthur doesn't really hate this kind of liveliness, a guy who lives in a sunny place should be more outgoing and happier than a guy who lives in a rainy place.

What kind of math Arthur has, Agareth knows all too well.

Seeing this, Arthur had to blink his eyes twice, smiled and nodded, "Joseph, thank you so much for your help today." ”

In addition, Bernoulli, Lagrange, D'Alembert, and Coulomb also won the annual essay competition. Later, due to the Revolution, the Academy of Sciences was banned by the National Assembly, and after the reappearance, it encountered years of war, so it was not until 1812 that the essay contest was resumed.

"Why?"

Speaking of this, Liu Wei suddenly stopped and asked, "By the way, do you want to meet Mr. Ampere?" You've come all the way from London, and it would be a shame not to talk to him. ”

Arthur exhaled smoke rings and said lightly: "It's just the devil's mouth!" ”

When Liu Wei heard that Arthur was going to write an essay, he immediately became interested: "I know that you must have some experience in mathematics, there is a quiet room in the Academy of Sciences, where there are blackboard chalk and calculus paper, you can slowly work on your essay there, and I will go over to inform you as soon as the members of the school department arrive." ”

His body was radiating and filled with a temperament that the Red Devil was quite disgusting.

Arthur shook the other's hand and asked, "It's a miracle that you look so young and are able to stand in a place like the French Academy of Sciences, where genius gathers." ”

When Arthur heard Poisson's name, he immediately remembered what Faraday had told him: "Then again, I have here a letter that Mr. Faraday asked me to bring to Mr. Poisson, and he wants to ask Mr. Poisson some questions about Poisson. ”

He admits that there is indeed a gap between British mathematics and French mathematics, but it should never be so large.

The Red Devil also noticed Arthur's unusual behavior, he leaned over to take a look, pouted, and said, "You humans have a good research speed, and they have all advanced here." But, Arthur, what are you staring at? These Greek letters are separated, you know them as alpha, beta and gamma, put them together, do you know what that means? What kind of natural philosopher are you, a semi-literate history major, posing as here? ”

"Huh?" Agareth was suspicious: "Arthur, you want to play this trick with me again to get away with it?" You think I don't know what you're thinking, and you want to force me to lower the price! ”

In Arthur's opinion, with this speed, even if this Mr. Liuville cannot become a mathematician in the future, how can he become a French athlete.

"Hmm...... I can't say that, but he is clearly not as good as Mr. Cauchy. ”

In this regard, Arthur had to divert the other party's attention again, and he asked, "By the way, we have been talking for so long, and we haven't asked your honorable name yet?" ”

He skillfully took out the key and opened the door, turned his head to find that Arthur had fallen behind, so he hurriedly raised his hand and signaled, "Sir, over here." ”

Arthur's brows furrowed when he saw this, and even his expression became subtle.

When Arthur heard this, he felt like he was forced to go to Liangshan.

As soon as Arthur heard this, the sweat on his back fell, but he still calmly lit the fire, lit his pipe, took a puff relaxedly, and asked seemingly casually.

Arthur opened the calculation paper, and just as he was about to drain his brain cells and block the glory of British mathematics, he suddenly found that the calculation paper in front of him was actually full of people.

The young man blurted out, "It's Mr. Poisson." He was simply a monster, mathematics, mechanics, electricity, astronomy, and so on, there was nothing he did not understand in all aspects of natural philosophy. ”

When the young gentleman who led the way for Arthur heard this, he smiled and said, "Ah! Are you interested in this year's annual call for papers from the French Academy of Sciences? I've heard that you're specialized in electromagnetism, but your math skills are pretty good. Why don't you try to make a submission? If you win in the end, there will be a lot of money. ”

Agareth put one hand to his ear and pretended not to hear with a hippie smile: "Be louder!" Please, yes, plead on me! ”

"What's wrong? What's wrong? ”

Arthur took a drag on his cigarette, "You're really a bal manure digger. ”

"Huh?" The Red Devil was puzzled, "What do you mean?" ”

Arthur shrugged his shoulders and said, "My face is not worth enough to exchange twenty souls, and I won't buy it anyway, you can just add it up." ”

"No need, Agares."

When the young man heard this, he also smiled and replied, "No wonder...... I have just heard that you have heard that Monsieur Faraday wants to ask Monsieur Poisson about Bo, for Monsieur Cauchy is clearly more authoritative in this respect. ”

"Well, I'm a teaching assistant to Professor Mathieu at the Ecole Polytechnique de Paris, and occasionally Mr. Ampère calls me over to help. When I was a student at École Polytechnique, Mr. Ampère was my supervisor in analytical mechanics, and I was also interested in his electrodynamics direction, so we are still very close to each other today. ”

At this time, he suddenly said that he had become a mathematician at the level of the French Academy of Sciences, who would believe this?

Agareth hesitated, but finally squinted his eyes and nodded slightly: "Yes, but I have a condition, you have to give at least three derivations under different boundary conditions." ”

Arthur smiled calmly: "Agares, why don't we make a bet, if I can deduce the rest of the process on this calculation paper, you will help me write the paper for free." On the other hand, if I can't, then I'll pay you double your soul. Would you like to think about it? ”

At the end, he didn't forget to point to the blackboard in front of the table and reminded: "If you are not used to using a pen, you can just use chalk to write and draw on the blackboard." I'm going to pick up the papers, and I'll have to trouble you a little later. ”

Arthur smiled and picked up the piece of calculus, "I am indeed semi-literate, and I am not proficient in mathematics and physics. However, as for the derivation on this piece of paper, I had already made a deal with other people before I made a deal with you, a whole hundred and fifty dollars. For a college student, this is not a small amount, enough for me to remember it for the rest of my life. ”

Arthur glanced at the Red Devil and cleverly bypassed the topic of submission: "You just said that this is the annual call for papers of the French Academy of Sciences?" So, it must have a long history, right? ”

Suddenly, Arthur stopped, and his eyes fell on a bulletin board placed in the hallway, on which was written in chalk a line in French—"On the Integral Curve on a Double Curve."

"Agareth."

Liu Wei familiarly took out a thick stack of calculation paper from the drawer of the desk and placed it on the table for Arthur, and then very generously took out his newly purchased fashionable fountain pen for this friend who came from afar to use.

"Ahh Of course you can! ”

When Liu Wei heard Arthur's praise, he was a little embarrassed and sneered: "You are joking, the number of academicians in the mathematical sciences and physical sciences of the French Academy of Sciences is only 60, and I am just fortunate to play for one of them." ”

As a York-born country swineherd, Sir Arthur Hastings' biggest mathematical problem to date was the classification of male and female piglets, and most of his daily mathematical education was limited to simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Arthur glanced at the Red Devil and whispered, "I said ......"

When Agareth heard this, he couldn't help but cover his mouth in feigned surprise: "Oh, my dear Arthur, I really don't know, you still know this?" It seems that I have to admit that the average mathematical literacy of history graduates at the University of London is significantly higher than that of your classics graduates, at least you are better than Elder, although you are only a limited strength. ”

When the Red Devil heard this, he couldn't help but be angry: "Arthur, you little bastard, you dare to use Barr to humiliate me!" Originally, the two of us still had to talk, but if you talk like that, when you ask me for help later, it won't be a matter of twenty souls! ”

This was the reason why he did not want to come to the French Academy of Sciences, and he had already guessed that this might happen. Of course, it was okay to go to see Ampere, but he should talk to Ampere about something, which was a big problem.

The young gentleman smiled and nodded, "That's right, this annual essay contest has been held since 1720, at first it was an annual event, and then it was changed to a biennial event. Many of the most famous French scholars you know have won prizes for the annual essay competition, and Euler has submitted 15 entries for the annual essay and won several awards.

Arthur's anti-guest performance instantly made the Red Devil a little unconfident, and he stared at Arthur's eyes suspiciously, as if trying to find out the mood of bravado.

Arthur and Agareth glared at each other, and then went to the library without saying a word.

The Red Devil had just finished taunting Arthur, and in an instant he was dressed up as a good old man again, and he put his arm on Arthur's shoulder and said as if he were a brother, "This way, twenty souls, I'll help you get the paper." If you don't win the prize, I'll pay you double. ”

Although he couldn't write a mathematical paper in a hurry, he had to at least list a few equations to prove that he had tried.

Hearing this, Agareth, who was squatting on the bulletin board, covered his mouth and said sneeringly: "Oh! Contributing to the Académie Française? Arthur, do you history brat figure out what a hyperboloid is? ”

Agareth's black nails tapped on the table, looking like he didn't think it was a big deal: "How is it, Arthur, do you want to come and talk to me?" The proposition "On the Integral Curve on a Hyperboloid" may be a bit difficult for humans, but for the erudite Professor Agareth, it is faster to write a shocking paper than Barr can empty a septic tank. ”

Arthur couldn't help but ask, "What is this?" Papers? If it's a paper, why does it only have one title? ”

Agareth looked at Arthur's face, which could no longer show the slightest emotional fluctuation, and the Red Devil couldn't help but mock: "Oh! My dear Arthur, look at your stinking face! When you were killed at the bottom of the Tower of London, your face was not as ugly as it is today. ”

Arthur pulled the letter out of his jacket pocket, but he was stunned when he saw the name on the envelope, because it was Cauchy's name written on it.

A bad feeling suddenly rose in Agareth's heart, and he subconsciously wanted to reduce the price and said: "The last offer, fifteen souls, I'll help you get the paper." If you add five more, I'll do it for you with the derivation on the calculation paper. ”

"Huh? I don't care about you! ”

After that, Liu Wei gently closed the door and ran towards the office where he stored his papers.

But no matter how he looked at it, he couldn't see the slightest hesitation on Arthur's part, as if this kid really knew how to solve the problem.

"You are really too famous, can I take the liberty of asking, which of the talented people in the Academy of Sciences won the essay that time?"

Agareth had expected his words to anger Arthur, but when he turned his head, he found that the kid had regained his trademark gentle smile at some point.

But the Red Devil did not believe that Arthur could overcome the extended formula of the Euler equation in front of him, and Agareth knew quite well that the final result of this equation depended on the boundary conditions, which meant that its derivation was not unique.

Liu Wei waved his hand indifferently: "It's just a gesture." I don't usually have any hobbies, but my favorite thing to do is to communicate with young scholars like you, and you don't dislike me. ”

Liu Wei had just left, and the loud voice of the Red Devil soon sounded in the library.

I remember that the topic of the essay in 1812 was 'Determining the Distribution of Electric Charges on the Surface of Objects by Calculation and Experiment', which happened to be the direction of electricity that you are good at. I think if you had been born 20 years earlier, you might have had the opportunity to challenge for the winning prize in that essay competition. ”

This quiet little library looks like it's been around for a long time, with a quaint façade made of red brick and covered with traces of age and verdant ivy. For a scholar, this kind of room, nestled on a secluded promenade, away from the hustle and bustle, with small shelves full of materials to consult, is indeed a great place to study.

The other party extended his hand in a friendly manner: "Joseph Liuville, it's a pleasure to meet you, Sir." ”

He noticed that something was wrong, and hurriedly took out the small box containing the Copley medal that he was carrying, and then patted his head and laughed: "I'm sorry, I seem to have confused the task of delivering letters with medals." The letter was given to Mr. Cauchy, while the Copley Medal was given to Mr. Poisson. ”

When Agareth heard this, he was even more sure that Arthur was tricking him: "If I say three, you will have three?" Good! I bet with you! ”

Arthur's response to Agares' taunt was rather simple and straightforward: "Damn it! Shut up, Agares, why don't you help me recall how the expressions for hyperbolic sinusoidal functions are written? I think they seem to have something to do with trigonometric functions, right? Cosh X=Cos iX？ ”

The young man smiled and said, "Because in 1816 the annual essay of the Academy of Sciences was titled 'Wave,' and that time, it was Mr. Cauchy who won the essay. ”

When Arthur heard this, he only felt as uncomfortable as eating a fly, and he finally diverted the topic, but he didn't expect to go around and around to the essay again.

Unexpectedly, Arthur seemed to be relieved when he heard Agareth's words, he smiled and nodded: "Agareth, you are really caring, I will have three, if you want the fourth, then our business today will not be done." ”

Arthur asked, "Really?" Isn't Mr. Poisson good at wave problems? ”

"I'm ashamed, it looks like I'm going to make a small contribution to fluid mechanics today."

PS: Catch a flight today, and change it in advance.

(End of chapter)