Thuspassedtheperiodofourschoollife.Weallhadmuchfacilityforintellectualwork.Mybrother,DoctorSklodowski,havingfinishedhismedicalstudies,becamelaterthechiefphysicianinoneoftheprincipalWarsawhospitals.MysistersandIintendedtotakeupteachingasourparentshaddone.However,myeldersister,whengrownup,changedhermindanddecidedtostudymedicine.ShetookthedegreeofdoctorattheParisUniversity,marriedDoctorDluski,aPolishphysician,andtogethertheyestablishedanimportantsanatoriuminawonderfullybeautifulCarpathianmountainplaceofAustrianPoland.Mysecondsister,marriedinWarsaw,Mrs.Szalay,wasformanyyearsateacherintheschools,wheresherenderedgreatservice.LatershewasappointedinoneofthelyceumsoffreePoland.
IwasbutfifteenwhenIfinishedmyhigh-schoolstudies,alwayshavingheldfirstrankinmyclass.Thefatigueofgrowthandstudycompelledmetotakealmostayear'srestinthecountry.IthenreturnedtomyfatherinWarsaw,hopingtoteachinthefreeschools.Butfamilycircumstancesobligedmetochangemydecision.Myfather,nowagedandtired,neededrest;hisfortunewasverymodest.SoIresolvedtoacceptapositionasgovernessforseveralchildren.Thus,whenscarcelyseventeen,Ileftmyfather'shousetobeginanindependentlife.
Thatgoingawayremainsoneofthemostvividmemoriesofmyyouth.MyheartwasheavyasIclimbedintotherailwaycar.Itwastocarrymeforseveralhours,awayfromthoseIloved.AndaftertherailwayjourneyImustdriveforfivehourslonger.Whatexperiencewasawaitingme?SoIquestionedasIsatclosetothecarwindowlookingoutacrossthewideplains.
ThefatherofthefamilytowhichIwentwasanagriculturist.Hisoldestdaughterwasaboutmyage,andalthoughworkingwithme,wasmycompanionratherthanmypupil.Thereweretwoyoungerchildren,aboyandagirl.Myrelationswithmypupilswerefriendly;afterourlessonswewenttogetherfordailywalks.Lovingthecountry,Ididnotfeellonesome,andalthoughthisparticularcountrywasnotespeciallypicturesque,Iwassatisfiedwithitinallseasons.Itookthegreatestinterestintheagriculturaldevelopmentoftheestatewherethemethodswereconsideredasmodelsfortheregion.Iknewtheprogressivedetailsofthework,thedistributionofcropsinthefields;Ieagerlyfollowedthegrowthoftheplants,andinthestablesofthefarmIknewthehorses.
Inwinterthevastplains,coveredwithsnow,werenotlackingincharm,andwewentforlongsleighrides.Sometimeswecouldhardlyseetheroad."Lookoutfortheditch!"Iwouldcalltothedriver."Youaregoingstraightintoit,"and"Neverfear!"hewouldanswer,asoverwewent!Butthesetumblesonlyaddedtothegayetyofourexcursions.
Irememberthemarveloussnowhousewemadeonewinterwhenthesnowwasveryhighinthefields;wecouldsitinitandlookoutacrosstherose-tintedsnowplains.Wealsousedtoskateontheiceoftheriverandtowatchtheweatheranxiously,tomakesurethattheicewasnotgoingtogiveway,deprivingusofourpleasure.
Sincemydutieswithmypupilsdidnottakeupallmytime,IorganizedasmallclassforthechildrenofthevillagewhocouldnotbeeducatedundertheRussiangovernment.Inthistheoldestdaughterofthehouseaidedme.Wetaughtthelittlechildrenandthegirlswhowishedtocomehowtoreadandwrite,andweputincirculationPolishbookswhichwereappreciated,too,bytheparents.Eventhisinnocentworkpresenteddanger,asallinitiativeofthiskindwasforbiddenbythegovernmentandmightbringimprisonmentordeportationtoSiberia.
MyeveningsIgenerallydevotedtostudy.IhadheardthatafewwomenhadsucceededinfollowingcertaincoursesinPetrogradorinforeigncountries,andIwasdeterminedtopreparemyselfbypreliminaryworktofollowtheirexample.
IhadnotyetdecidedwhatpathIwouldchoose.Iwasasmuchinterestedinliteratureandsociologyasinscience.However,duringtheseyearsofisolatedwork,tryinglittlebylittletofindmyrealpreferences,Ifinallyturnedtowardsmathematicsandphysics,andresolutelyundertookaseriouspreparationforfuturework.ThisworkIproposeddoinginParis,andIhopedtosaveenoughmoneytobeabletoliveandworkinthatcityforsometime.
Mysolitarystudywasbesetwithdifficulties.ThescientificeducationIhadreceivedatthelyceumwasveryincomplete;itwaswellunderthebachelorshipprogramofaFrenchlyceum;Itriedtoaddtoitinmyownway,withthehelpofbookspickedupatrandom.Thismethodcouldnotbegreatlyproductive,yetitwasnotwithoutresults.Iacquiredthehabitofindependentwork,andlearnedafewthingswhichweretobeofuselateron.
IhadtomodifymyplansforthefuturewhenmyeldestsisterdecidedtogotoParistostudymedicine.Wehadpromisedeachothermutualaid,butourmeansdidnotpermitofourleavingtogether.SoIkeptmypositionforthreeandahalfyears,and,havingfinishedmyworkwithmypupils,IreturnedtoWarsaw,whereaposition,similartotheoneIhadleft,wasawaitingme.