The Life of Jean Henri Fabre 



Should I succeed? Perhaps so. I at last had 

 a satisfactory answer. I obtained, in a cheap and 

 practical fashion, the pure colouring-matter, con- 

 centrated in a small volume and excellent for both 

 printing and dyeing. One of my friends took up 

 my process on a large scale in his works; a few 

 calico-factories adopted the produce and expressed 

 themselves delighted with it. The future smiled 

 at last ; a pink rift opened in my grey sky. I should 

 possess the modest fortune without which I must 

 deny myself the pleasure of teaching in a university. 

 Freed of the torturing anxiety about my daily 

 bread, I should be able to live at ease among my 

 insects. 1 



To these delights of industrial chemistry, 

 the mistress of her problems and rich in fu- 

 ture promise, were added, by an additional 

 stroke of good fortune, the flattering con- 

 gratulations and encouragement of the Min- 

 ister Duruy and the Emperor Napoleon. 2 It 

 seemed as though, after struggling long 

 against the tide, his frail vessel had a fair 

 wind astern; it seemed about to come into 

 port; surely at last his utmost desires were 

 about to be realised ! 



Once home amidst my family, I felt a mighty 

 load off my mind and a great joy in my heart, 



1 Souvenirs, x., pp. 338-43 ; The Life of the Fly, chap. 

 xx., " Industrial Chemistry." 



2 Cf. supra., p. 135. 



192 



