136 LIFE OF ELIE METCHNIKOFF 



his direction. Their number having increased, he 

 was given a whole floor in which to instal them, 

 two rooms on that floor being reserved for his own 

 use. He occupied these rooms until the end of his 

 life. 



His dreams were at last realised. This is from 

 a narration of the causes which led to his departure 

 from Russia, in his own words : 



Thus it was in Paris that I succeeded at last in practising 

 pure Science apart from all politics or any public function. 

 That dream could not have been realised in Eussia because 

 of obstacles from above, from below, and from all sides. One 

 might think that the hour of science in Russia has not yet 

 struck. I do not believe that. I think, on the contrary, 

 that scientific work is indispensable to Russia, and I wish from 

 my heart that future conditions may become more favour- 

 able than in the time of which I have spoken in the above 

 lines. 



Soon he was able to appreciate the great French 

 qualities : humanitarian manners, tolerance, and gentle- 

 ness, real freedom of thought, loyal and courteous 

 intercourse, all of which made life easy and agreeable. 

 And most precious of all were the true friendships 

 which he contracted with his colleagues and his 

 pupils. Indeed the Institut Pasteur and France 

 became for him a second Motherland, and when in 

 later years he was invited to other countries with 

 more liberal conditions, he habitually replied that 

 only for one place would he leave the Pasteur Institute, 

 " the neighbouring cemetery of Montparnasse." 



However, after his death, the Pasteur Institute 

 which he had so loved continued to give him hos- 

 pitality and harboured his ashes. . . . 



