"Ihavewantedtowritetoyouforalongtime;excusemeifIhavenotdoneso.ThecauseisthestupidlifewhichIleadatpresent.Youhaveseenthissuddeninfatuationforradium,whichhasresultedforusinalltheadvantagesofamomentofpopularity.Wehavebeenpursuedbyjournalistsandphotographersfromallcountriesoftheworld;theyhavegoneevensofarastoreporttheconversationbetweenmydaughterandhernurse,andtodescribetheblack-and-whitecatthatliveswithusFurther,wehavehadagreatmanyappealsformoneyFinally,thecollectorsofautographs,snobs,societypeople,andevenattimes,scientists,havecometoseeus——inourmagnificentandtranquilquartersinthelaboratory——andeveryeveningtherehasbeenavoluminouscorrespondencetosendoff.WithsuchastateofthingsIfeelmyselfinvadedbyakindofstupor.Andyetallthisturmoilwillnotperhapshavebeeninvain,ifitresultsinmygettingachairandalaboratory.Totellthetruth,itwillbenecessarytocreatethechair,andIshallnothavethelaboratoryatfirst.Ishouldhavepreferredthereverse,butLiardwishestotakeadvantageofthepresentmomenttobringaboutthecreationofanewchairthatwilllaterbeacquiredfortheuniversity.Theyaretoestablishachairwithoutafixedprogram,whichwillbesomethinglikeacourseintheCollegedeFrance,andIbelieveIshallbeobligedtochangemysubjecteachyear,whichwillbeagreattrialtome."
"January
"IhavehadtogiveupgoingtoSweden.Weare,asyousee,mostirregularinourrelationswiththeSwedishAcademy;but,totellthetruth,Icanonlykeepupbyavoidingallphysicalfatigue.Andmywifeisinthesamecondition;wecannolongerdreamofthegreatworkdaysoftimesgoneby.
"Astoresearch,Iamdoingnothingatpresent.Withmycourse,mystudents,apparatustoinstall,andtheinterminableprocessionofpeoplewhocometodisturbmewithoutseriousreason,thedayspasswithoutmyhavingbeenabletoachieveanythingusefulatthisend."
"July
"MyDEARFRIEND:
"Wehaveregrettedsomuchbeingdeprivedofyourvisitthisyear,buthopetoseeyouinOctober.Ifwedonotmakeaneffortfromtimetotime,weendbylosingtouchwithourbestandmostcongenialfriends,andinkeepingcompanywithothersforthesimplereasonthatitiseasytomeetthem.
"Wecontinuetoleadthesamelifeofpeoplewhoareextremelyoccupied,withoutbeingabletoaccomplishanythinginteresting.ItisnowmorethanayearsinceIhavebeenabletoengageinanyresearch,andIhavenomomenttomyself.ClearlyIhavenotyetdiscoveredameanstodefendourselvesagainstthisfritteringawayofourtimewhichisneverthelessextremelynecessary.Intellectually,itisaquestionoflifeordeath."
"November
"Ibeginmycoursetomorrowbutunderverybadconditionsforthepreparationofmyexperiments.ThelectureroomisattheSorbonne,andmylaboratoryisintherueCuvier.Besides,agreatnumberofothercoursesaregiveninthesamelectureroom,andIcanuseitonlyonemorningforthepreparationofmyown
"Iamneitherverywell,norveryill;butIameasilyfatigued,andIhaveleftbutverylittlecapacityforwork.Mywife,onthecontrary,leadsaveryactivelife,betweenherchildren,theSchoolatSevres,andthelaboratory.Shedoesnotloseaminute,andoccupiesherselfmoreregularlythanIcanwiththedirectionofthelaboratoryinwhichshepassesthegreaterpartoftheday."
Tosumup:despitetheseoutsidecomplications,ourlife,byacommoneffortofwill,remainedassimpleandasretiredasformerly.Towardthecloseofourfamilywasincreasedbythebirthofaseconddaughter.EveDenisewasborninthemodesthouseinBoulevardKellermann,wherewestilllivedwithDoctorCurie,seeingonlyafewfriends.
Asourelderdaughtergrewup,shebegantobealittlecompaniontoherfather,whotookalivelyinterestinhereducationandgladlywentforwalkswithherinhisfreetimes,especiallyonhisvacationdays.Hecarriedonseriousconversationswithher,replyingtoallherquestionsanddelightingintheprogressivedevelopmentofheryoungmind.Fromtheirearlyage,hischildrenenjoyedhistenderaffection,andheneverweariedoftryingtounderstandtheselittlebeings,inordertobeabletogivethemthebesthehadtogive.