344 THE LIFE OF PASTEUR 



Academic sponsors were J. B. Dumas and Nisard. Dumas, 

 who appreciated more than any one the scientific progress due 

 to Pasteur, and who applauded his brilliant success, was 

 touched by the simplicity and modesty which his former pupil 

 showed, now as in the distant past, when the then obscure 

 young man sat taking notes on the Sorbonne benches. 



Their mutual relationship had remained unchanged when 

 Pasteur, accompanied by one of his family, rang at Dumas' 

 door in March, 1882, with the manuscript of his noble speech 

 in his pocket ; he seemed more like a student, respectfully call- 

 ing on his master, than like a savant affectionately visiting a 

 colleague. 



Dumas received Pasteur in a little private study adjoining 

 the fine drawing-room where he was accustomed to dispense 

 an elegant hospitality. Pasteur drew a stool up to a table and 

 began to read, but in a shy and hurried manner, without even 

 raising his eyes towards Dumas, who listened, enthroned in 

 his armchair, with an occasional murmur of approbation. 

 Whilst Pasteur's careworn face revealed some of his ardent 

 struggles and persevering work, nothing perturbed Dumas' 

 grave and gentle countenance. His smile, at most times pru- 

 dently affable and benevolent in varying degree, now frankly 

 illumined his face as he congratulated Pasteur. He called to 

 mind his own reception speech at the Academy when he had 

 succeeded Guizot, and the fact that he too had concluded by a 

 confession of faith in his Creator. 



Pasteur's other sponsor, Nisard, almost an octogenarian, 

 was not so happy as Dumas ; death had deprived him of almost 

 all his old friends. It was a great joy to him when Pasteur 

 came to see him on the wintry Sunday afternoons ; he fancied 

 himself back again at the Ecole Normale and the happy days 

 when he reigned supreme in that establishment. Pasteur's 

 deference, greater even perhaps than it had been in former 

 times, aided the delightful delusion. Though Nisard was ever 

 inclined to bring a shade of patronage into every intimacy, he 

 was a conversationalist of the old and rare stamp. Pasteur 

 enjoyed hearing Nisard 's recollections and watching for a smile 

 lighting up the almost blind face. Those Sunday talks 

 reminded him of the old delightful conversations with Chappuis 

 at the Besancon College when, in their youthful fervour, they 

 read together Andre Ch^nier's and Lamartine's verses. 

 Eighteen years later, Pasteur had not missed one of Sainte 



