"And what have you to say about it?" Étienne asked his brother.
"I? Oh! I should not speak."
Cuvier was going by. He had just happened to catch these words in passing, and he stopped.
"What! you won't speak?" he exclaimed.
"No," Arago replied,
"Quite right, too!" interpolated Étienne.
"Look here, my dear fellow, come aside with me and let us talk reasonably," said Cuvier.
He drew François Arago away to a distance from us. We could judge, from the spot where we stood, of the animated discussion that ensued by the vivacity of their gestures. M. Villemain joined the two speakers and seemed to be taking Cuvier to task. Several other Academicians, whom I did not know by sight, and, perhaps, not even by name, surrounded Arago, and, contrary to M. Villemain, seemed to be insisting with Cuvier that Arago should speak. After a quarter of an hour's discussion, it was settled that Arago should speak. Now, this decision had been arrived at by a majority of votes, so to speak, and it would have been impossible for the famous astronomer to withstand the wishes of the majority of his confrères, who all loudly declared that they would regard his silence as contentious. He passed by us as he went to his place.
"Well, you are going to speak after all?" Étienne said to him.