Welivedaverysinglelife,interestedincommon,aswewere,inourlaboratoryexperimentsandinthepreparationoflecturesandexaminations.Duringelevenyearswewerescarcelyeverseparated,whichmeansthatthereareveryfewlinesofexistingcorrespondencebetweenus,representingthatperiod.WespentourrestdaysandourvacationswalkingorbicyclingeitherinthecountrynearParis,oralongthesea,orinthemountains.Myhusbandwassoengrossedinhisresearches,however,thatitwasverydifficultforhimtoremainforanylengthoftimeinaplacewherehelackedfacilitiesforwork.Afterafewdayshewouldsay:"Itseemstomeaverylongtimesincewehaveaccomplishedanything."Andyethelikedtheexcursionswhichcoveredsuccessivedays,andenjoyedtothefullourwalkstogether,justashehadformerlyenjoyedthosewithhisbrother.Buthisjoyinseeingbeautifulthingsneverdrewhisthoughtsawayfromthescientificquestionsthatabsorbedhim.Inthesefreetimes,wetraversedtheregionoftheCevennesandoftheMontsd'Auvergne,aswellasthecoastofFrance,andsomeofitsgreatforests.
Thesedaysintheopen,filledwithbeautifulsights,madeadeepimpressiononus,andwelovedtorecallthem.Oneofourradiantmemorieswasofasunnyday,whenafteralongandwearyingclimb,wereachedthefresh,greenmeadowoftheAubrac,inthepureairofthehighplateaus.Anothervividmemorywasthatofanevening,when,lingeringuntiltwilightinthegorgeoftheTruyere,wewereenchantedtohearapopularairdyingawayinthedistance,carriedtousfromalittleboatthatdescendedthestream.Wehadtakensolittlenoticeofthetimethatwedidnotregainourlodgingbeforedawn.Atonepointwehadanencounterwithcartswhosehorseswerefrightenedbyourbicycles,andwewereobligedtocutacrossploughedfields.Atlengthweregainedourrouteonthehighplateau,bathedintheunreallightofthemoon.Andcowsthatwerepassingthenightinenclosurescamegravelytocontemplateuswiththeirlarge,tranquileyes.
TheforestofCompiegnecharmedusinthespring,withitsmassofgreenfoliagestretchingfarastheeyecouldsee,anditsperiwinklesandanemones.Ontheborderof,theforestofFontainebleau,thebanksoftheLoing,coveredwithwaterbuttercups,wereanobjectofdelightforPierreCurie.WelovedthemelancholycoastsofBrittanyandthereachesofheatherandgorse,stretchingtotheverypointsofFinistere,whichseemedlikeclawsorteethburyingthemselvesinthewaterwhichforeverragesatthem.
Later,whenwehadourbabywithus,wepassedourvacationsinsomeonelocality,withouttravelingabout.Welivedthenassimplyaspossibleinretiredvillageswherewecouldscarcelybedistinguishedfromthevillagersthemselves.IrememberthestupefactionofanAmericanjournalistwhenhefoundusonedayatPouldu,atamomentwhenIwassittingononeofthestonestepsofourhouseintheactofshakingthesandfrommysandals.However,hisembarrassmentwasshort-livedand,adaptinghimselftothesituation,hesatdownbesidemeandbeganjottingdowninhisnotebookmyanswerstohisquestions.
Themostaffectionaterelationsexistedbetweenmyhusband'sparentsandmyself.WeoftenwenttoSceaux,wheretheroommyhusbandusedtohavebeforeourmarriagewasalwaysreservedforus.IhadalsoaverytenderaffectionforJacquesCurieandhisfamily(hewasmarriedandhadtwochildren);forPierre'sbrotherbecamemine,andhasalwaysremainedso.
Oureldestdaughter,Irene,wasborninSeptember,,andonlyafewdaysafterwardsmyhusbandsufferedagreatlossinthedeathofhismother.DoctorCuriecametolivewithusinahousewhichhadagardenandwassituatedontheoldfortificationsofParis(BoulevardKellermann)neartheparkofMontsouris.PierreCurielivedinthishouseuntiltheendofhislife.