34 LOUIS PASTEUR 



his work. He devoted much care to his lectures 

 in chemistry, but he found a good deal of time to 

 spend upon investigation. He was comfortably 

 situated in the house of his old school friend, 

 Bertin, the Professor of Physics, who would not 

 hear of his going elsewhere. A letter from his 

 father at this time contains the following remarks: 

 "You tell us that you will not marry for a long 

 time, and that you will take one of your sisters to 

 live with you. I could wish it for you, and espe- 

 cially for them, for neither of them could wish for 

 a greater good fortune. To serve you and to look 

 after your health is what both of them would wish 

 most of all." 



But Pasteur had met the daughter of the Rector 

 of the Academy at Strasbourg, M. Laurent. He 

 had called upon the family soon after accepting 

 his new position, and the charm of the quiet and 

 united family circle and the attractions of Mile. 

 Marie, spurred him to a sudden resolve. We have 

 little record of the association of Pasteur and 

 Marie Laurent during the period immediately fol- 

 lowing their first acquaintance, but the mind of 

 Pasteur, usually so cautious and deliberate, had no 

 doubts about the young woman to whom he was 

 so strongly attracted. There are some natures 



