居里夫人自傳 第4章 我的家庭 (4)
    WarsawwasthenunderRussiandomination,andoneoftheworstaspectsofthiscontrolwastheoppressionexertedontheschoolandthechild.TheprivateschoolsdirectedbyPoleswerecloselywatchedbythepoliceandoverburdenedwiththenecessityofteachingtheRussianlanguageeventochildrensoyoungthattheycouldscarcelyspeaktheirnativePolish.Nevertheless,sincetheteacherswerenearlyallofPolishnationality,theyendeavoredineverypossiblewaytomitigatethedifficultiesresultingfromthenationalpersecution.Theseschools,however,couldnotlegallygivediplomas,whichwereobtainableonlyinthoseofthegovernment.

    Thelatter,entirelyRussian,weredirectlyopposedtothePolishnationalspirit.AllinstructionwasgiveninRussian,byRussianprofessors,who,beinghostiletothePolishnation,treatedtheirpupilsasenemies.Menofmoralandintellectualdistinctioncouldscarcelyagreetoteachinschoolswhereanalienattitudewasforceduponthem.Sowhatthepupilsweretaughtwasofquestionablevalue,andthemoralatmospherewasaltogetherunbearable.Constantlyheldinsuspicionandspiedupon,thechildrenknewthatasingleconversationinPolish,oranimprudentword,mightseriouslyharm,notonlythemselves,butalsotheirfamilies.Amidstthesehostilities,theylostallthejoyoflife,andprecociousfeelingsofdistrustandindignationweighedupontheirchildhood.Ontheotherside,thisabnormalsituationresultedinexcitingthepatrioticfeelingofPolishyouthstothehighestdegree.

    Yetofthisperiodofmyearlyyouth,darkenedthoughitwasbymourningandthesorrowofoppression,Istillkeepmorethanonepleasantremembrance.Inourquietbutoccupiedlife,reunionsofrelativesandfriendsofourfamilybroughtsomejoy.MyfatherwasveryinterestedinliteratureandwellacquaintedwithPolishandforeignpoetry;heevencomposedpoetryhimselfandwasabletotranslateitfromforeignlanguagesintoPolishinaverysuccessfulway.Hislittlepoemsonfamilyeventswereourdelight.OnSaturdayeveningsheusedtoreciteorreadtousthemasterpiecesofPolishproseandpoetry.Theseeveningswereforusagreatpleasureandasourceofrenewedpatrioticfeelings.

    SincemychildhoodIhavehadastrongtasteforpoetry,andIwillinglylearnedbyheartlongpassagesfromourgreatpoets,thefavoriteonesbeingMickiewecz,KrasinskiandSlowacki.ThistastewasevenmoredevelopedwhenIbecameacquaintedwithforeignliteratures;myearlystudiesincludedtheknowledgeofFrench,German,andRussian,andIsoonbecamefamiliarwiththefineworkswrittenintheselanguages.LaterIfelttheneedofknowingEnglishandsucceededinacquiringtheknowledgeofthatlanguageanditsliterature.

    Mymusicalstudieshavebeenveryscarce.Mymotherwasamusicianandhadabeautifulvoice.Shewantedustohavemusicaltraining.Afterherdeath,havingnomoreencouragementfromher,Isoonabandonedthiseffort,whichIoftenregrettedafterwards.

    Ilearnedeasilymathematicsandphysics,asfarasthesesciencesweretakeninconsiderationintheschool.Ifoundinthisreadyhelpfrommyfather,wholovedscienceandhadtoteachithimself.HeenjoyedanyexplanationhecouldgiveusaboutNatureandherways.Unhappily,hehadnolaboratoryandcouldnotperformexperiments.

    Theperiodsofvacationswereparticularlycomforting,when,escapingthestrictwatchofthepoliceinthecity,wetookrefugewithrelativesorfriendsinthecountry.Therewefoundthefreelifeoftheold-fashionedfamilyestate;racesinthewoodsandjoyousparticipationinworkinthefar-stretching,levelgrain-fields.AtothertimeswepassedtheborderofourRussian-ruleddivisionandwentsouthwardsintothemountaincountryofGalicia,wheretheAustrianpoliticalcontrolwaslessoppressivethanthatwhichwesuffered.TherewecouldspeakPolishinallfreedomandsingpatrioticsongswithoutgoingtoprison.

    Myfirstimpressionofthemountainswasveryvivid,becauseIhadbeenbroughtupintheplains.SoIenjoyedimmenselyourlifeintheCarpathianvillages,theviewofthepikes,theexcursionstothevalleysandtothehighmountainlakeswithpicturesquenamessuchas:"TheEyeoftheSea."However,Ineverlostmyattachmenttotheopenhorizonandthegentleviewsofaplainhillcountry.

    LaterIhadtheopportunitytospendavacationwithmyfatherfarmoresouthinPodolia,andtohavethefirstviewoftheseaatOdessa,andafterwardsattheBalticshore.Thiswasathrillingexperience.ButitwasinFrancethatIbecomeacquaintedwiththebigwavesoftheoceanandtheever-changingtide.Allmylifethrough,thenewsightsofNaturemademerejoicelikeachild.
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