420 THE LIFE OF PASTEUR 



• 



undertaken in the hope of being useful to Science, but often 

 proving a source of disappointment. 



Pasteur enjoyed looking back on the beloved memory of 

 J. B. Dumas, as he sat preparing his speech in his study at 

 Arbois, looking out on the familiar landscape of his childhood^ 

 where the progress of practical science was evidenced by the 

 occasional passing, through the distant pine woods, of the white 

 smoke of the Switzerland express. 



When in his laboratory in Paris, Pasteur hated to be disturbed 

 whilst making experiments or writing out notes of his work. 

 Any visitor was unwelcome ; one day that some one was attempt- 

 ing to force his way in, M. Roux was amused at seeing 

 Pasteur — vexed at being disturbed and anxious not to pain the 

 visitor — come out to say imploringly, ''Oh! not now, please! 

 I am too busy ! ' ' 



''When Chamberland and I," writes Dr. Roux, *'were 

 engaged in an interesting occupation, he mounted guard before 

 us, and when, through the glazed doors, he saw people coming, 

 he himself would go and meet them in order to send them away. 

 He showed so artlessly that his sole thought was for the work, 

 that no one ever could be offended." 



But, at Arbois, where he only spent his holidays, he did not 

 exercise so much severity; any one could come in who liked. 

 He received in the morning a constant stream of visitors, beg- 

 ging for advice, recommendations, interviews, etc. 



"It is both comical and touching," wrote M. Girard, a local 

 journalist, "to see the opinion the vineyard labourers have of 

 him. These good people have heard M. Pasteur's name in 

 connection with the diseases of wine, and they look upon him 

 as a sort of wine doctor. If they notice a barrel of wine getting 

 sour, they knock at the savant's door, bottle in hand; this door 

 is never closed to them. Peasants are not precise in their lan- 

 guage; they do not know how to begin their explanations or 

 how to finish them. M. Pasteur, ever calm and serious, listens 

 to the very end, takes the bottle and studies it at his leisure. 

 A week later, the wine is 'cured.' " 



He was consulted also on many other subjects — virus, silk- 

 worms, rabies, cholera, swine-fever, etc.; many took him for a 

 physician. YV'hilst telling them of their mistake, he yet did 

 everything he could for them. 



During this summer of 1885, he had the melancholy joy of 

 seeing a bust erected in the village of Monay to the memory of 



