Inthislay,withoutdoubt,thesecretofthatinfinitecharmofhistowhichonecouldnotlongrestinsensible.Histhoughtfulexpressionandthedirectnessofhislookwerestronglyattractiveandthisattractionwasincreasedbyhiskindlinessandgentlenessofcharacter.Hesometimessaidthatheneverfeltcombative,andthiswasentirelytrue.Onecouldnotenterintoadisputewithhimbecausehecouldnotbecomeangry."Gettingangryisnotoneofmystrongpoints,"hewouldsay,smiling.Ifhehadfewfriends,hehadnoenemies;forhecouldnotinjureanyone,evenbyinadvertence.Butatthesametimenoonecouldforcehimtodeviatefromhislineofaction,somethingwhichledhisfathertonickname.himthe"gentlestubbornone."
Whenheexpressedhisopinionhedidsofrankly,forhewasconvincedthatdiplomaticmethodsarepuerile,andthatdirectnessisatonceeasiestandbest.Becauseofthispractice,heacquiredacertainreputationforna?vete;inrealityhewasactingonawell-considereddecision,ratherthanbyinstinct.Itwasperhapsbecausehewasabletojudgehimselfandtoretirewithinhimself,thathewassocapableofclearlyappreciatingthespringsofaction,theintention,andthethoughtsofothers.Andifhesometimesneglecteddetails,hewasrarelydeceivedintheessentials.Usuallyhekepthissurejudgmentstohimself;butoncehehadmadeuphismindhesometimesexpressedthemwithoutreticence,intheassurancethathewasdoingsomethinguseful.
Inhisscientificrelationsheshowednosharpness,anddidnotpermithimselftobeinfluencedbyconsiderationsofpersonalcreditorbypersonalsentiments.Everybeautifulsuccessgavehimpleasure,evenifachievedinadomainwherehefelthimselftohavepriority.Hesaid:"WhatdoesitmatterifIhavenotpublishedsuchandsuchinvestigations,ifanotherhaspublishedthem?Forheheldthatinscienceweshouldbeinterested,inthingsandnotinpersons.Hewassogenuinelyagainsteveryformofemulationthatheopposedeventhecompetitionsandgradingsofthelycees,aswellasallformsofhonorarydistinction.Heneverfailedtogivecounselandencouragementtoanyofthosewhoshowedanaptitudeforscience,andcertainamongthemstillremainprofoundlygratefultohim.
Ifhisattitudewasthatofoneoftheelitewhohaveattainedthehighestsummitofcivilization,hisactswerethoseofatrulygoodmanendowedwiththesentimentofhumansolidarityintimatelyboundtohisintellectualconceptions,andfullofunderstandingandindulgence.Hewasalwaysreadytoaid,asfarashismeansallowed,anypersoninadifficultsituation,evenifhelpingmeantgivingsomeofhistime,whichwasalwaysthegreatestsacrificehecouldmake.Hisgenerositywassospontaneousthatonescarcelynoticedit.Hebelievedthattheonlyadvantageofmaterialmeans,beyondthatofprovidingthenecessitiesofasimplelife,wasintheopportunitytheyofferedofaidingothers,andofpursuingtheworkofone'spreference.
WhatshallIsay,finally,ofhisloveforhisown,andofhisqualitiesasfriend?Hisfriendship,whichhegaverarely,wassureandfaithful,foritrestedonacommunityofideasandopinions.Andstillmorerarelydidhegiveaffection;buthowcompletewashisgifttohisbrotherandtome!Hecouldforsakehiscustomaryreserveforanunconstraintwhichestablishedharmonyandconfidence.Histendernesswasthemostexquisiteofblessings,sureandhelpful,fullofgentlenessandsolicitude.Itwasgoodtobesurroundedbythistenderness;itwascrueltoloseitafterhavinglivedinanatmospherecompletelypermeatedbyit.ButIwilllethisownwordstellhowcompletelyhegavehimself:
"Ithinkofyouwhofillmylife,andIlongfornewpowers.Itseemstomethatinconcentratingmymindexclusivelyuponyou,asIamdoing,thatIshouldsucceedinseeingyou,andinfollowingwhatyouaredoing;andthatIshouldbeabletomakeyoufeelthatIamaltogetheryoursatthismoment,buttheimagedoesnotcome."
Wewerenotwarrantedinhavinggreatconfidenceinourhealth,norinourstrengthsooftenputtoseveretests.Andfromtimetotime,ashappenstothosewhoknowthevalueofsharingacommonlife,thefearoftheirreparabletouchedourminds.Insuchmomentshissimplecourageledhimalwaystothesameinevitableconclusion:"Whateverhappens,evenifoneshouldbecomelikeabodywithoutasoul,stillonemustalwayswork."