1889—1895 241 



saluted him with a mixture of emotion and respectful 

 interest. 



At Villeneuve l'Etang, the old stables of the Cent Garde3 

 had reverted to their former purpose and were used for the 

 preparation of the diphtheria antitoxin. There were about 

 one hundred horses there ; old chargers, sold by the military 

 authorities as unfit for further work ; racehorses thus ending 

 their days ; a few, presents from their owners, such as Marshal 

 Canrobert's old horse. 



Pasteur spent those summer weeks in his room or under the 

 trees on the lawns of the Park. A few horses had been put 

 out to grass, the stables being quite full, and occasionally came 

 near, looking over their hurdles towards him. Pasteur felt 

 a deep thankfulness in watching the busy comings and goings 

 of Dr. Roux and his curator, M. Martin, and of the veterinary 

 surgeon, M. Prevot, who was entrusted with the bleeding 

 operations and the distribution of the flasks of serum. He 

 thought of all that would survive him and felt that his weakened 

 hand might now drop the torch which had set so many others 

 alight. And, more than resigned, he sat peacefully under a 

 beautiful group of pines and purple beeches, listening to the 

 readings of Mme. Pasteur and of his daughter. They smiled 

 on him with that valiant smile which women know how to keep 

 through deepest anguish. 



Biographies interested him as of yore. There was at that 

 time a renewal of interest in memories of the First Empire ; old 

 letters, memoirs, war anecdotes were being published every 

 day. Pasteur never tired of those great souvenirs. Many of 

 those stories brought him back to the emotions of his youth, 

 but he no longer looked with the same eyes on the glory of 

 conquerors. The true guides of humanity now seemed to him 

 to be those who gave devoted service, not those who ruled by 

 might. After enjoying pages full of the thrill of battlefields, 

 Pasteur admired the life of a great and good man, St. Vincent 

 de Paul. He loved this son of poor peasants, proud to own 

 his humble birth before a vainglorious society ; this tutor of a 

 future cardinal, who desired to become the chaplain of some 

 unhappy convicts; this priest, who founded the work of the 

 Enfants Trouves, and who established lay and religious alliance 

 over the vast domain of charity. 



Pasteur himself exerted a great and charitable influence 

 The unknown lady who had put at his disposal four scholarships 



