那個時候，皮埃爾·居裡剛剛榮獲博士學位，並受聘任教於巴黎物理和化學學校。那一年，他歲，已經成為國內外頗具名氣的物理學家了。他全心全意地投入科學研究當中，而很少留意自己的職位、待遇等問題，所以他的經濟狀況非常一般。結婚前，他與年邁的父母在一起生活，住在巴黎郊區的蘇城。他特別孝順，我記得他第一次跟我提到他的父母的時候，用了「慈父慈母」一詞。事實上，他並沒有誇大其詞。他的父親是一位很有資歷的物理學家，為人慷慨大度，性格剛強；他母親是一位典型的賢妻良母，一生相夫教子，從無怨言。他的哥哥為蒙彼利埃大學的教授，兄弟二人情深意篤，皮埃爾對他的哥哥十分敬重。進入這樣的一個家庭，我感到十分榮幸，而且我確實也受到這家人的熱忱歡迎。
我們舉行了一個十分簡單的婚禮，也沒有專門購置結婚禮服。參加婚禮的只有為數不多的親朋好友。令我感到高興的是，我的父親和二姐也從波蘭趕來了。
除了想要一個安靜的地方用來居住和工作以外，我和皮埃爾並無其他什麼奢望。我們非常高興地找到了一套三居室的小房子，從窗口看出去，眼前出現一座美麗的花園。老人們給我們購置了一些傢俱。我們用一個親戚給我們的喜錢買了兩輛自行車，用來出去遠遊。
ChapterIMyFamily
IhavebeenaskedbymyAmericanfriendstowritethestoryofmylife.Atfirst,theideaseemedalientome,butIyieldedtopersuasion.However,IcouldnotconceivemybiographyasacompleteexpressionofpersonalfeelingsoradetaileddescriptionofallincidentsIwouldremember.Manyofourfeelingschangewiththeyears,and,whenfadedaway,mayseemaltogetherstrange;incidentslosetheirmomentaryinterestandmayberememberedasiftheyhaveoccurredtosomeotherperson.Buttheremaybeinalifesomegeneraldirection,somecontinuousthread,duetoafewdominantideasandafewstrongfeelings,thatexplainthelifeandarecharacteristicofahumanpersonality.Ofmylife,whichhasnotbeeneasyonthewhole,Ihavedescribedthegeneralcourseandtheessentialfeatures,andItrustthatmystorygivesanunderstandingofthestateofmindinwhichIhavelivedandworked.
MyfamilyisofPolishorigin,andmynameisMarieSklodowska.Myfatherandmymother
bothcamefromamongthesmallPolishlandedproprietors.Inmycountrythisclassiscomposedofalargenumberoffamilies,ownersofsmallandmedium-sizedestates,frequentlyinterrelated.Ithasbeen,untilrecently,chieflyfromthisgroupthatPolandhasdrawnherintellectualrecruits.
Whilemypaternalgrandfatherhaddividedhistimebetweenagricultureanddirectingaprovincialcollege,myfather,morestronglydrawntostudy,followedthecourseoftheUniversityofPetrograd,andlaterdefinitelyestablishedhimselfatWarsawasProfessorofPhysicsandMathematicsinoneofthelyceumsofthatcity.Hemarriedayoungwomanwhosemodeoflifewascongenialtohis;for,althoughveryyoung,shehad,whatwas,forthattime,averyseriouseducation,andwasthedirectorofoneofthebestWarsawschoolsforyounggirls.
Myfatherandmotherworshipedtheirprofessioninthehighestdegreeandhaveleft,allovertheircountry,alastingremembrancewiththeirpupils.Icannot,evento-day,gointoPolishsocietywithoutmeetingpersonswhohavetendermemoriesofmyparents.
Althoughmyparentsadoptedauniversitycareer,theycontinuedtokeepinclosetouchwiththeirnumerousfamilyinthecountry.ItwaswiththeirrelativesthatIfrequentlyspentmyvacation,livinginallfreedomandfindingopportunitiestoknowthefieldlifebywhichIwasdeeplyattracted.Totheseconditions,sodifferentfromtheusualvillegiature,Ibelieve,Iowemyloveforthecountryandnature.
BornatWarsaw,onthethofNovember,,Iwasthelastoffivechildren,butmyoldestsisterdiedattheearlyageoffourteen,andwewereleft,threesistersandabrother.Cruellystruckbythelossofherdaughterandwornawaybyagraveillness,mymotherdiedatforty-two,leavingherhusbandinthedeepestsorrowwithhischildren.Iwasthenonlynineyearsold,andmyeldestbrotherwashardlythirteen.
Thiscatastrophewasthefirstgreatsorrowofmylifeandthrewmeintoaprofounddepression.Mymotherhadanexceptionalpersonality.Withallherintellectualityshehadabigheartandaveryhighsenseofduty.And,thoughpossessinginfiniteindulgenceandgoodnature,shestillheldinthefamilyaremarkablemoralauthority.Shehadanardentpiety(myparentswerebothCatholics),butshewasneverintolerant;differencesinreligiousbeliefdidnottroubleher;shewasequallykindtoanyonenotsharingheropinions.Herinfluenceovermewasextraordinary,forinmethenaturalloveofthelittlegirlforhermotherwasunitedwithapassionateadmiration.
Verymuchaffectedbythedeathofmymother,myfatherdevotedhimselfentirelytohisworkandtothecareofoureducation.Hisprofessionalobligationswereheavyandlefthimlittleleisuretime.Formanyyearsweallfeltweighingonusthelossoftheonewhohadbeenthesoulofthehouse.
Weallstartedourstudiesveryyoung.Iwasonlysixyearsold,and,becauseIwastheyoungestandsmallestintheclass,wasfrequentlybroughtforwardtorecitewhentherewerevisitors.Thiswasagreattrialtome,becauseofmytimidity;Iwantedalwaystorunawayandhide.Myfather,anexcellenteducator,wasinterestedinourworkandknewhowtodirectit,buttheconditionsofoureducationweredifficult.Webeganourstudiesinprivateschoolsandfinishedtheminthoseofthegovernment.