1865—1870 119 



the grandfather at Arbois. Your prayers will have been accept- 

 able unto God, and perhaps the dear grandfather himself knew 

 of them and rejoiced with dear little Jeanne over Cecile's 

 piety. 



'I have been thinking all day of the marks of affection I 

 have had from my father. For thirty years I have been his 

 constant care, I owe everything to him. When I was young 

 he kept me from bad company and instilled into me the habit 

 of working and the example of the most loyal and best-filled 

 life. He was far above his position both in mind and in char- 

 acter. . . . You did not know him, dearest Marie, at the 

 time when he and my mother were working so hard for the 

 children they loved, for me especially, whose books and school- 

 ing cost so much. . . . And the touching part of his affec- 

 tion for me is that it never was mixed with ambition. You 

 remember that he would have been pleased to see me the head- 

 master of Arbois College? He foresaw that advancement 

 would mean hard work, perhaps detrimental to my health. 

 And yet I am sure that some of the success in my scientific 

 career must have filled him with joy and pride ; his son ! his 

 name ! the child he had guided and cherished ! My dear 

 father, how thankful I am that I could give him some satis- 

 faction ! 



"Farewell, dearest Marie, dear children. We shall often 

 talk of the dear grandfather. How glad I am that he saw you 

 all again a short time ago, and that he lived to know little 

 Camille. I long to see you all, but must go back to Alais, for 

 my studies would be retarded by a year if I could not spend 

 a few days there now. 



" I have some ideas on this disease, which is indeed a scourge 

 for all those southern departments. The one arrondissement 

 of Alais has lost an income of 120,000,000 francs during the 

 last fifteen years. M. Dumas is a million times right ; it must 

 be seen to, and I am going to continue my experiments. I am 

 writing to M. Nisard to have the admission examinations in my 

 absence, which can easily be done." 



Nisard wrote to him (June 19) : " My dear friend, I heard 

 of your loss, and I sympathize most cordially with you. . . . 

 Take all the time necessary to you. You are away in the 

 service of science, probably of humanity. Everything will be 

 done according to your precise indications. I foresee no 

 difficulty . . . everything is going on well at the Ecole. 



