Thisrapidsuccessionofdiscoverieswhichoverthrewfamiliarscientificconceptionslongheldinphysicsandchemistrydidnotfailtomeet,atfirst,withdoubtsandincredulity.Butthegreatpartofthescientificworldreceivedthemwithenthusiasm.AtthesametimePierreCurie'sfamegrewinFranceandinforeigncountries.AlreadyintheAcademyofScienceshadawardedhimtheLacazeprize.In,Mascart,whohadmanytimesgivenhimmostvaluableaid,decidedtoproposehimasamemberoftheAcademyofSciences.ItwasnoteasyforPierreCurietoagreetothis,believing,ashedid,thattheAcademyshouldelectitsmemberswithoutthenecessityofanypreliminarysolicitationorpayingofcalls.Nevertheless,becauseofthefriendlyinsistenceofMascart,andaboveallbecausethePhysicsSectionoftheAcademyhadalreadydeclareditselfunanimouslyinhisfavor,hepresentedhimself.Inspiteofthis,however,hefailedofelection,anditwasonlyinthathebecameamemberoftheInstitute,amembershipwhichdidnotlastevenayear.Hewasalsoelectedtoseveralacademiesandscientificsocietiesinothercountries,andgivenanhonorarydoctor'sdegreebyseveraluniversities.
DuringwewenttoLondonattheinvitationoftheRoyalInstitution,beforewhichmyhusbandwastolectureonradium.Onthisoccasionhehadamostenthusiasticreception.HewasespeciallyhappytoseehereagainLordKelvin,whohadalwaysexpressedanaffectionforhim,andwho,despitehisadvancedage,preservedaninterest,perenniallyyoung,inscience.Theillustriousscientistshowed,withtouchingsatisfaction,aglassvialcontainingagrainofradiumsaltthatPierreCuriehadgivenhim.Wemetherealsoothercelebratedscientists,asCrookes,Ramsay,andJ.DewarIncollaborationwiththelatter,PierreCuriepublishedinvestigationsonthedischargeofheatbyradiumatverylowtemperatures,andupontheformationofheliuminradiumsalt.
AfewmonthslatertheDavymedalwasconferreduponhim(andalsouponme)bytheRoyalSocietyofLondon,andatalmostthesametime,wereceived,togetherwithHenriBecquerel,theNobelprizeforphysics.OurhealthpreventedusfromattendingtheceremonyfortheawardingofthisprizeinDecember,anditwasonlyinJune,,thatwewereabletogotoStockholmwherePierreCuriegavehisNobellecture.WeweremostcordiallyreceivedandhadthefelicityofseeingtheadmirableSwedishnatureinitsmostbrilliantaspect.
TheawardoftheNobelprizewasanimportanteventforusbecauseoftheprestigecarriedbytheNobelfoundation,onlyrecentlyfounded().Also,fromafinancialpointofview,thehalfoftheprizerepresentedanimportantsum.ItmeantthatinthefuturePierreCuriecouldturnoverhisteachingintheSchoolofPhysicstoPaulLangevin,oneofhisformerstudents,andaphysicistofgreatcompetence,Hecouldalsoengageapreparatortoaidhiminhiswork.
Butatthesametimethepublicitythisveryhappyevententailedboreveryheavilyonamanwhowasneitherpreparedforit,noraccustomedtoit.Therefollowedanavalancheofvisits,ofletters,ofdemandsforarticlesandlectures,whichmeantaconstantenervation,fatigue,andlossoftime.Hewaskindanddidnotliketorefusearequest;butontheotherhand,hehadtorecognizethathecouldnotaccedetothesolicitationsthatoverwhelmedhimwithoutdisastrousresultstohishealth,aswellastohispeaceofmind,andhiswork.InalettertoCh.Ed.Guillaume,hesaid:"Peopleaskmeforarticlesandlectures,andafterafewyearsarepassed,theverypersonswhomakethesedemandswillbeastonishedtoseethatwehavenotaccomplishedanywork."
Andinotherlettersofthesameperiod,writtentoE.Gouy,heexpressedhimselfasfollows:
"March
"Asyouhaveseen,fortunefavorsusatthismoment;butthesefavorsoffortunedonotcomewithoutmanyworries.Wehaveneverbeenlesstranquilthanatthismoment.Therearedayswhenwescarcelyhavetimetobreathe.Andtothinkthatwedreamedoflivinginthewild,quiteremovedfromhumanbeings!"
"January
"MYDEARFRIEND: