462 THE LIFE OF PASTEUR 



Europe, saw Alsace torn away from her. And by whom? by 

 the very nation whom she had looked upon as the most ideal- 

 istic, with whom she had desired an alliance in a noble hope 

 of pacific civilization, a hope shared by Humboldt, the great 

 German scientist. 



It was obvious to those who came near Pasteur that, in spite 

 of the regret caused in him by the decrease of his physical 

 strength, his moral energy remained unimpaired. He never 

 complained of the state of his health, and usually avoided speak- 

 ing of himself. A little tent had been put up for him in the 

 new garden of the Pasteur Institute, under the young chest- 

 nuts, the flowers of which were now beginning to fall, and 

 he often spent his afternoons there. One or other of those 

 who had watched over him through the long winter nights fre- 

 quently came to talk with him, and he would inquire, with all 

 his old interest, into every detail of the work going on. 



His old friend Chappuis, now Honorary Eector of the Aca- 

 demy of Dijon, often came to sit with him under this tent. 

 Their friendship remained unchanged though it had lasted 

 more than fifty years. Their conversation now took a yet 

 more exalted turn than in the days of their youth and middle 

 age. The dignity of Chappius' life was almost austere, though 

 tempered by a smiling philosophy. 



Pasteur, less preoccupied than Chappuis by philosophical 

 discussions, soared without an effort into the domain of spirit- 

 ual things. Absolute faith in God and in Eternity, and a con- 

 viction that the power for good given to us in this world will 

 be continued beyond it, were feelings which pervaded his whole 

 life ; the virtues of the Gospel had ever been present to him. 

 Full of respect for the form of religion which had been that 

 of his forefathers, he came to it simply and naturally for spirit- 

 ual help in these last weeks of his life. 



On June 13, he came, for the last time, down the steps of 

 the Pasteur Institute, and entered the carriage which was to 

 take him to Villeneuve 1'Etang. Every one spoke to him of 

 this stay as if it were sure to bring him back to health. Did he 

 believe it? Did he try, in his tenderness for those around him, 

 to share their hopes? His face almost bore the same expres- 

 sion as when he used to go to Villeneuve 1'Etang to continue his 

 studies. When the carriage passed through Saint Cloud, some 

 of the inhabitants, who had seen him pass in former years, 



