第9章 我的家庭(7)

那是在1894年，我与皮埃尔·居里第一次相遇了。我的同胞、弗利堡大学的一位教授打电话邀请我到他家去玩，同时也邀请了巴黎的一位年轻物理学家，他对这位物理学家非常熟悉，也十分赞赏。当我走进这位教授家的客厅时，我看见了这个年轻人。他正好站在一扇朝向阳台的法式窗户的凹入处，宛如镶嵌在玻璃窗上的一幅画一样。他身材修长，头发是赤褐色的，一双大眼睛清澈明亮。他的神态飘逸，表情深沉而又温柔。第一眼看到他时，你会认为他是一个沉浸在自己的思绪之中的梦幻者。他表现出一种质朴而又真诚的态度，仿佛对我很有好感。并且在第一次见面之后，他还希望以后能够再见到我，继续对科学和社会等各种问题进行讨论。对于这些问题，我俩看法相似，很有共同语言。

Some time later，he came to me in my student room and we became good friends.He described to me his days，filled with work，and his dream of an existence entirely devoted to science.He was not long in asking me to share that existence，but I could not decide at once；I hesitated before a decision that meant abandoning my country and my family.

I went back to Poland for my vacation，without knowing whether or not I was to return to Paris.But circumstances permitted me again to take up my work there in the autumn of that year.I entered one of the physics laboratories at the Sorbonne，to begin experimental research in preparation for my doctor's thesis.

Again I saw Pierre Curie.Our work drew us closer and closer，until we were both convinced that neither of us could find a better life companion.So our marriage was decided upon and took place a little later，in July，1895.

Pierre Curie had just received his doctor's degree and had been made professor in the School of Physics and Chemistry of the City of Paris.He was thirty-six years old，and already a physicist known and appreciated in France and abroad.Solely preoccupied with scientific investigation，he had paid little attention to his career，and his material resources were very modest.He lived at Sceaux，in the suburbs of Paris，with his old parents，whom he loved tenderly，and whom he described as "exquisite"the first time he spoke to me about them.In fact，they were so：the father was an elderly physician of high intellect and strong character，and the mother the most excellent of women，entirely devoted to her husband and her sons.Pierre's elder brother，who was then professor at the University of Montpellier，was always his best friend.So I had the privilege of entering into a family worthy of affection and esteem，and where I found the warmest welcome.

随后，他来到我的学生公寓拜访我，我们逐渐成了好朋友。他将他每天的工作情况、他的研究和他献身科学的梦想与决心向我作了介绍。没过多久，他便向我吐露心声，希望能够和我共同生活，共同对科学的梦想进行追求。但开始时，我还不能立刻下定决心，我犹豫着，因为这样的话，我就不得不永远离开自己的祖国与家人。

假期到了，我回到波兰，并且当时也没有作出决定是否返回巴黎。但是，那年秋天，我又回到了巴黎，进入巴黎大学的一个物理实验室，着手进行实验研究，为我的博士论文做准备。

我又见到了皮埃尔·居里。出于科研的缘故，我同他的接触日益增多，关系也更加密切。等到我们彼此都认为除了对方，谁都不会找到更合适的生活伴侣的时候，我们便决定结婚了，并于1895年7月举行了婚礼。

那个时候，皮埃尔·居里刚刚荣获博士学位，并受聘任教于巴黎物理和化学学校。那一年，他36岁，已经成为国内外颇具名气的物理学家了。他全心全意地投入科学研究当中，而很少留意自己的职位、待遇等问题，所以他的经济状况非常一般。结婚前，他与年迈的父母在一起生活，住在巴黎郊区的苏城。他特别孝顺，我记得他第一次跟我提到他的父母的时候，用了“慈父慈母”一词。事实上，他并没有夸大其词。他的父亲是一位很有资历的物理学家，为人慷慨大度、性格刚强；他母亲是一位典型的贤妻良母，一生相夫教子，从无怨言。他的哥哥为蒙彼利埃大学的教授，兄弟二人情深意笃，皮埃尔对他的哥哥十分敬重。进入这样的一个家庭，我感到十分荣幸，而且我确实也受到这家人的热忱欢迎。

We were married in the simplest way.I wore no unusual dress on my marriage day，and only a few friends were present at the ceremony，but I had the joy of having my father and my second sister come from Poland.

We did not care for more than a quiet place in which to live and to work，and were happy to find a little apartment of three rooms with a beautiful view of a garden.A few pieces of furniture came to us from our parents.With a money gift from a relative we acquired two bicycles to take us out into the country.

我们举行了一个十分简单的婚礼，也没有专门购置结婚礼服。参加婚礼的只有为数不多的亲朋好友。令我感到高兴的是，我的父亲和二姐也从波兰赶来了。

除了想要一个安静的地方用来居住和工作以外，我和皮埃尔并无其他什么奢望。我们非常高兴地找到了一套三居室的小房子，从窗口看出去，眼前出现的是一座美丽的花园。老人们给我们购置了一些家具。我们还用一个亲戚给我们的喜钱买了两辆自行车，用来出去远游。