第3章 我的家庭(1)

I have been asked by my American friends to write the story of my life.At first，the idea seemed alien to me，but I yielded to persuasion.However，I could not conceivemy biography as a complete expression of personal feelings or a detailed deionof all incidents I would remember.Many of our feelings change with the years，and，when faded away，may seem altogether strange；incidents lose their momentary interest and may be remembered as if they have occurred to some other person.But there may be in a life some general direction，some continuous thread，due to a few dominant ideas and a few strong feelings，that explain the life and are characteristic of a human personality.Of my life，which has not been easy on the whole，I have described the general course and the essential features，and I trust that my story gives an understanding of the state of mind in which I have lived and worked.

My family is of Polish origin，and my name is Marie Sklodowska.My father and my mother both came from among the small Polish landed proprietors.In my country this class is composed of a large number of families，owners of small and medium-sized estates，frequently interrelated.It has been，until recently，chiefly from this group that Poland has drawn her intellectual recruits.

美国的朋友们让我把自己的生活经历写出来。开始的时候，我觉得这个建议对我来说真的是难以接受，但是最后，我还是被友人们说服了，勉强地写了这个简短的生平传记。但我不可能凭借这本简略的传记写出我一生中的全部感受，也没办法对我所经历过的全部事情进行详述。时过境迁，许多关于当时感受的记忆已经模糊，时间越久，就越加模糊不清，竟至有时还认为有些事情与自己无关，像是别人所经历的。无疑，人的一生总会受一些主要思想以及某些深刻感受的影响与支配，从而使生活能够沿着一条主线往前走。有了这一主线，就会明白当时为什么这么做而不是那么做，就可以看出当事人的性格等各方面的特点。我会把自己并不算一帆风顺的一生作一个概述，将其中的要点记叙下来。相信我的故事能够将我从工作和生活中得到的启示展示给大家。

我祖籍波兰，名叫玛丽·斯可罗多夫斯卡。我的父母都出生于波兰的小地主家庭。在我的祖国，像我父母那样拥有一份不大产业的中产阶级的人数颇多。他们成为了社会上的一个阶层，彼此之间通常有着千丝万缕的联系。直到现在，波兰的知识分子大部分都还来自于这一阶层。

While my paternal grandfather had divided his time between agriculture and directing a provincial college，my father，more strongly drawn to study，followed the course of the University of Petrograd，and later definitely established himself at Warsaw as Professor of Physics and Mathematics in one of the lyceums of that city.He married a young woman whose mode of life was congenial to his；for，although very young，she had，what was，for that time，a very serious education，and was the，director of one of the best Warsaw schools for young girls.

My father and mother worshiped their profession in the highest degree and have left，all over their country，a lasting remembrance with their pupils.I cannot，even today，go into Polish society without meeting persons who have tender memories of my parents.

Although my parents adopted a university career，they continued to keep in close touch with their numerous family in the country.It was with their relatives that I frequently spent my vacation，living in all freedom and finding opportunities to know the field life by which I was deeply attracted.To these conditions，so different from the usual villegiature，I believe，I owe my love for the country and nature.

Born at Warsaw，on the 7th of November，1867，I was the last of five children，but my oldest sister died at the early age of fourteen，and we were left，three sisters and a brother.Cruelly struck by the loss of her daughter and worn away by a grave illness，my mother died at forty-two，leaving her husband in the deepest sorrow with his children.I was then only nine years old，and my eldest brother was hardly thirteen.

我的祖父对一所省立中学进行管理，闲暇时也干一些农活。我的父亲热爱学习，曾在俄国圣彼得堡大学读书，毕业后回到波兰，在华沙的一所预科大学里教授物理和数学。他娶了一位和他情投意合、志趣相同的女子为妻。母亲很年轻时，就已经在华沙一所女子学校担任校长了。那时候，她所从事的教育事业是极其崇高而又庄严的。

我的父母对自己所从事的教育事业兢兢业业、恪尽职守。他们的学生遍及波兰，可谓桃李满天下。这些学生直到现在仍对我的父母十分感激，并且怀念着他们。即便在今天，每当我回到波兰，遇见以前父母教过的学生，他们还总要向我倾诉对我父母的怀念。

我的父母尽管在城市从事教育事业，但他们与农村的亲戚们也都保持着往来。每到放假，我都会到农村亲戚家去住上一段日子，这使我对波兰的农村了解很深，并因此喜欢上了它。在那里，我很自然地就会感到无拘无束、散淡惬意。我想这段难忘的生活经历也正是我终生喜爱田野乡村，热爱大自然的原因吧！

1867年11月，我出生于华沙，是家中五个孩子里最小的一个，但是我的大姐于14岁时不幸病逝，所以留下了我们姐妹三个和一个兄弟。我的母亲因为大女儿的不幸病逝而悲恸欲绝，并因此而患上了不治之症，在她年仅42岁的时候便撒手人寰。母亲去世时，我仅9岁，哥哥也只有13岁，全家人都沉浸在无以言表的悲痛之中。

This catastrophe was the first great sorrow of my life and threw me into a profound depression.My mother had an exceptional personality.With all her intellectuality she had a big heart and a very high sense of duty.And，though possessing infinite indulgence and good nature，she still held in the family a remarkable moral authority.She had an ardent piety (my parents were both Catholics)，but she was never intolerant；differences in religious belief did not trouble her；she was equally kind to any one not sharing her opinions.Her influence over me was extraordinary，for in me the natural love of the little girl for her mother was united with a passionate admiration.

Very much affected by the death of my mother，my father devoted himself entirely to his work and to the care of our education.His professional obligations were heavy and left him little leisure time.For many years we all felt weighing on us the loss of the one who had been the soul of the house.

We all started our studies very young.I was only six years old，and，because I was the youngest and smallest in the class，was frequently brought forward to recite when there were visitors.This was a great trial to me，because of my timidity；I wanted always to run away and hide.My father，an excellent educator，was interested in our work and knew how to direct it，but the conditions of our education were difficult.We began our studies in private schools and finished them in those of the government.

亲人的突然离去，是我人生中第一次遭遇的最悲惨、最痛苦的事情。在这之后，我就陷入了忧伤悲戚之中，我的母亲品格高尚、温柔敦厚、心地善良，而且她知识广博、心胸坦荡且又严于律己，在家中很有威望，大家都信服她。她对自己的信仰非常虔诚（我的父母亲都是天主教徒），但又能够包容一切，对有关宗教的不同看法，她向来都是求同存异，不将自己的观点强加于人。这对我们是有着很大影响的。就我个人而言，一方面是因为身为小女儿备受呵护与关切，从而使我深爱着我的母亲；另一方面，那种崇拜之情也将我和母亲紧密地联系在一起。