居里夫人自傳 第5章 我的家庭 (5)
    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.
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