登陆注册
778500000004

第4章 我的家庭 (4)

Warsaw was then under Russian domination, and one of the worst aspects of this control was the oppression exerted on the school and the child. The private schools directed by Poles were closely watched by the police and overburdened with the necessity of teaching the Russian language even to children so young that they could scarcely speak their native Polish. Nevertheless, since the teachers were nearly all of Polish nationality, they endeavored in every possible way to mitigate the difficulties resulting from the national persecution. These schools, however, could not legally give diplomas, which were obtainable only in those of the government.

The latter, entirely Russian, were directly opposed to the Polish national spirit. All instruction was given in Russian, by Russian professors, who, being hostile to the Polish nation, treated their pupils as enemies. Men of moral and intellectual distinction could scarcely agree to teach in schools where an alien attitude was forced upon them. So what the pupils were taught was of questionable value, and the moral atmosphere was altogether unbearable. Constantly held in suspicion and spied upon, the children knew that a single conversation in Polish, or an imprudent word, might seriously harm, not only themselves, but also their families. Amidst these hostilities, they lost all the joy of life, and precocious feelings of distrust and indignation weighed upon their childhood. On the other side, this abnormal situation resulted in exciting the patriotic feeling of Polish youths to the highest degree.

Yet of this period of my early youth, darkened though it was by mourning and the sorrow of oppression, I still keep more than one pleasant remembrance. In our quiet but occupied life, reunions of relatives and friends of our family brought some joy. My father was very interested in literature and well acquainted with Polish and foreign poetry; he even composed poetry himself and was able to translate it from foreign languages into Polish in a very successful way. His little poems on family events were our delight. On Saturday evenings he used to recite or read to us the masterpieces of Polish prose and poetry. These evenings were for us a great pleasure and a source of renewed patriotic feelings.

Since my childhood I have had a strong taste for poetry, and I willingly learned by heart long passages from our great poets, the favorite ones being Mickiewecz, Krasinski and Slowacki. This taste was even more developed when I became acquainted with foreign literatures; my early studies included the knowledge of French, German, and Russian, and I soon became familiar with the fine works written in these languages. Later I felt the need of knowing English and succeeded in acquiring the knowledge of that language and its literature.

My musical studies have been very scarce. My mother was a musician and had a beautiful voice. She wanted us to have musical training. After her death, having no more encouragement from her, I soon abandoned this effort, which I often regretted afterwards.

I learned easily mathematics and physics, as far as these sciences were taken in consideration in the school. I found in this ready help from my father, who loved science and had to teach it himself. He enjoyed any explanation he could give us about Nature and her ways. Unhappily, he had no laboratory and could not perform experiments.

The periods of vacations were particularly comforting, when, escaping the strict watch of the police in the city, we took refuge with relatives or friends in the country. There we found the free life of the old-fashioned family estate; races in the woods and joyous participation in work in the far-stretching, level grain-fields. At other times we passed the border of our Russian-ruled division and went southwards into the mountain country of Galicia, where the Austrian political control was less oppressive than that which we suffered. There we could speak Polish in all freedom and sing patriotic songs without going to prison.

My first impression of the mountains was very vivid, because I had been brought up in the plains. So I enjoyed immensely our life in the Carpathian villages, the view of the pikes, the excursions to the valleys and to the high mountain lakes with picturesque names such as: "The Eye of the Sea. "However, I never lost my attachment to the open horizon and the gentle views of a plain hill country.

Later I had the opportunity to spend a vacation with my father far more south in Podolia, and to have the first view of the sea at Odessa, and afterwards at the Baltic shore. This was a thrilling experience. But it was in France that I become acquainted with the big waves of the ocean and the ever-changing tide. All my life through, the new sights of Nature made me rejoice like a child.

同类推荐
  • 中国古代名妓传

    中国古代名妓传

    在封建伦理道德中,对妇女的要求甚为苛刻。三从四德就是紧箍咒。《仪礼·丧服传》:“妇人有三从之义,无专用之道;故未嫁从父,既嫁从夫,夫死从子。”这就是三从,即妇女从生到死,一生都要依从男性,她们没有个人的意志和自由,她们只是男性泄欲和生儿育女的工具。所谓四德,指“妇德,妇言,妇容,妇功。”《周礼·天官·九嫔》注云:“妇德谓贞顺,妇言谓辞令,妇容谓婉娩,妇功谓丝臬。”说明白点,就是妇人对男性,第一要忠贞,第二说话谦恭,第三仪态装束要端庄温柔,第四做好针线茶饭的服务。一句话,妇人的视听言动都要围绕着男性。
  • 茅盾的青少年时代

    茅盾的青少年时代

    青年茅盾的人生旅程,可以称得上是有声有色。亦文学亦政治,他都满腔热忱,也都有过精彩时刻。但在进入而立之年的时候,一茅盾的生活轨迹发生了一次很大的变化,他拉开了与政治的距离,专心进入文学创作领域。
  • 施正荣向左,彭小锋向右

    施正荣向左,彭小锋向右

    当下,正处在中国经济增长和全球力求减少温室气体排放两大力量的交汇点上,新能源的开发利用是大势所趋。太阳能行业也将乘势异军突起。同是做太阳能行业的施彭二人。一个沉稳务实,一个外冷内热,却都有着过人的本领和非凡的眼光,他们笑傲光伏世界、领跑中国光伏产业的神话。
  • 袁世凯发迹史

    袁世凯发迹史

    1884年金玉均等“开化党”人士发动甲申政变,试图推翻“事大党”把持的政权,驻朝日军亦趁机行动欲挟制王室;国王李熙派人奔赴清营求助,袁世凯指挥清军击退日军,维系清廷在朝鲜的宗主权及其他特权。袁世凯平定了朝鲜甲申政变有重大意义,打退了日本的渗透势力,粉碎了日本趁中法战争之际谋取朝鲜的企图,推迟了中日战争爆发的时间。袁世凯也因这一事件受到李鸿章等人的重视,年仅26岁的他就被封为“驻扎朝鲜总理交涉通商事宜大臣”,本书通过史料,着重介绍了袁世凯是如何从一个名不见经传的低级文职小军官,几年时间成长为清政府在朝鲜的外交、商务总代理的全过程。
  • 林肯传(中小学生必读丛书)

    林肯传(中小学生必读丛书)

    美国历史最伟大总统的传奇一生成功学大师戴尔·卡耐基倾心之作富含智慧,启迪人生的经典作品。林肯的主要功绩有:打响南北战争、纸上谈兵的麦克莱伦、浮夸派将领薄柏、激烈的内阁争斗、发布《解放黑奴宣言》、壮烈的葛底斯堡战役、传奇将军格兰特、连任总统、南方军投降等。
热门推荐
  • 傻子王爷无情妃

    傻子王爷无情妃

    一只毒蝎子,彻底断送了她年轻的生命!别人只知道,那个软弱没主见的女人被迫嫁给一个痴傻呆闷的七皇子。殊不知,她早已不再是“她”!面对痴傻只会憨笑的美男,她气愤难填!你傻,本美女就医好你,谁知医好后,遭到嫌弃,却换来一纸休书,气愤之下,她恨不得与他同归于尽……
  • 密道追踪

    密道追踪

    自杀前发誓,如果能拿到援兵虎符,就将复活。耶律乞努的坟冢被另外一个盗墓门派卸岭压制千年。但是卸岭的一个叛徒,正在试图将耶律乞努复活。随着老沙和大拿进入地下,发现,复活一事根本就是子虚乌有,钢厂地下实际上是一个通往平时空间的途径。要复活的并非耶律乞努和他的阴兵,而是来自于另一个镜像空间的军队!而连接镜像世界两边的,竟然是一条活在地下几千年的大鲤鱼,这条鲤鱼的巨大,已经完全超出了人类的想象。鲤鱼一旦惊动,就会引起灾难。事态进一步复杂,现在不仅要把耶律乞努送回镜像世界,而且老沙的大拿,要也要跟随进入到镜像世界里,去完成一个几乎不可能完成的任务……
  • 大魔术师

    大魔术师

    我相信奇迹,但从来没有想过,奇迹会真的发生在自己的眼前,2009年的一天,我受邀参加一个电视魔术秀的评选,当评委,这并不是因为……
  • 史上最囧的穿越:腐女皇妃

    史上最囧的穿越:腐女皇妃

    言慧心洗澡的时候浴室的镜中发出一道刺眼的强光,言慧心就这样穿越了,而且压死了正在与皇上妖精打架的贵妃“你砸死了朕的贵妃,你就代替她吧。”辛睿看着从天而降的裸女微笑道。不是吧,言慧心是知道杀人要偿命,但是这种偿法也太离谱了吧,她可以不同意吗?“可以,你意图谋杀当今皇上,判死罪。”辛睿微笑道。这天下还有没有讲理的地方,穿越又不是她能控制的,压死人完全是意外,意外应该不会被判罪的吧,可是这个不讲理的色皇上,竟要给她安了个刺杀皇上的罪名。
  • 正妃住隔壁

    正妃住隔壁

    《合卺词》镜子的古文她,一个现代国际安全局的高级特工,风平浪静时慵懒闲适,帅性如风。看似全然不具杀伤力。环境变化时则出手狠绝,精准,招招毙命。她,一个架空时代王府捡回来生子的丫头,初来王府,局促不安,胆小怕事,处处看人脸色行事。为免招惹事端,习惯闭门不出。当她成了她!他,一朝呼风唤雨的王爷,温文尔雅,温润如玉,性淡若薄云,嗜睡且对一切都漠不关心,喜欢拒人于千里之外。甚至记不得近身处女子的相貌。当他被一个喝醉了酒翻墙而入的小丫头敛去所有神志,当心中寒霜被融化,暖意注入心田,他如何会对生命里唯一一次感兴趣的东西收手。她为他的妾,她和他却不知。她以兄弟称他,他将她捧于手掌,喝护于胸膛。正妃在隔壁,一切荣华炫目都在隔壁,他的视线越过茫茫人海终是投在何处?宋楚说:“白末,我不喜欢江山,不喜欢权贵,也没哪个女人见过第一面就记住相貌轮廓,唯你是铬记于心的。”宋楚说:“白末,我的身心都只沦陷给你这么一个女人,再无其他!”宋楚说:“白末,当你立于墙头,一双明亮的眼眸渲染整个星空,那一刻我便决定,将你带到天涯海角,不让尘世沾染你丝毫我欲独霸的美丽。”宫九夜说:白末,你偷去的又何止一个钱袋。我的心你拿去了,却不说要。此生,我将如何安放它?!莫凌风说:白末,本该你是我的妻。奈何我们之间,竟隔着万水千山的距离。我允许你带着目的靠近我。哪怕是背叛,这一生我也允你若干次。直到最后用自己的生命去换你的命了。这许多年明眸中好似才看到一片锦绣,竟心甘情愿被这三尺黄土掩埋。君宇墨说:白末,我的人你要吗?我的承诺你要吗?我的心你要吗?为何时间流逝了,你始终定格在我的脑子里,那一瞬间便是动也不曾动过。尘子倾说:白末,一张龙椅争了多年,时间再回到这一点,只想以江山为聘,娶你为妻,不让宫廷束缚你,同你做对平凡的夫妻。可是,我遇你,终是晚了。白末想,我不想宫廷,宫廷却已生涟漪。我不想江湖,江湖却也已泛滥。如果幸福是流沙,我只愿沿着你的方向一路追随。如果温情是场梦,我只愿一觉再不醒来。(不虐男女主,男主一路宠到女主看不到边际。)新文《重生—硬碰硬》这是一对男女总裁斗智斗勇,为你一笑间轮回甘堕的故事,女总裁不羁精怪,绝对有一鸣惊人的爆发力。男总裁邪魅桀骜,攻于算计,运筹帷幄。客观说:
  • 只写给你一个人看的爱情小说

    只写给你一个人看的爱情小说

    一道难以解开的爱情谜题,一场没有第三者的爱情决战。包北宁,自由作者,北上游荡的时候遇见了人大校花梦阳,痞子般的随意招惹却不想换来了“公主”真正的爱情,包北宁的心被梦阳鲜活的爱唤醒。却不想此刻,另一个刻骨铭心的人再次出现——史磊回国了,那个曾经为了自己的梦想丢下包北宁的女子回来了。一样的疯狂,一样的执着,一如继往地让包北宁失控。悲怆却温暖。
  • 超级仇恨戒指

    超级仇恨戒指

    姜帆很惊讶地发现,自己偶然得到的戒指竟然有吸收仇恨的功能,只要有人仇恨自己,就能涨各种属性,恨的越深,涨的属性点越多。“提示:还差一万八千点仇恨值完成任务,届时将获得一万八千点属性值,以及神秘大礼一份。”“提示,各项属性值已到瓶颈,再完成一次任务,戒指将刷新系统,六项属性全面升级,并有新功能激活。”*************************************************************穿越武侠大陆,开局一个破高中学校。所有武侠人物粉墨登场,正道邪道魔道风云际会,看何时归如何以一校之长,登上武林之巅*************************************************************新书《打造完美女神从吃鸡开始》,作者名:谭道长,已经十万字,成绩还好,确定不太监。书友讨论群:193604165
  • 明治天皇:孝明帝驾崩卷(下册)

    明治天皇:孝明帝驾崩卷(下册)

    《明治天皇》再现了日本从幕末走向明治维新的历史变革,以优美的文笔,宏大的场景,详细描绘了日本近代决定国运的倒幕运动的整个过程。本书塑造了一个个鲜活的日本近代史人物形象,以及他们的坚定信念,对“安政大狱”、“樱田门之变”等重大历史事件的描述详实生动,是一部了解近代日本不可多得的佳作。
  • 明治天皇:孝明帝驾崩卷(下册)

    明治天皇:孝明帝驾崩卷(下册)

    《明治天皇》再现了日本从幕末走向明治维新的历史变革,以优美的文笔,宏大的场景,详细描绘了日本近代决定国运的倒幕运动的整个过程。本书塑造了一个个鲜活的日本近代史人物形象,以及他们的坚定信念,对“安政大狱”、“樱田门之变”等重大历史事件的描述详实生动,是一部了解近代日本不可多得的佳作。
  • 如何创办足疗店

    如何创办足疗店

    《金阳光新农村丛书》围绕农民朋友十分关心的具体话题,分“新农民技术能手”“新农业产业拓展”和“新农村和谐社会”三个系列,分批出版。“新农民技术能手”系列除了传授实用的农业技术,还介绍了如何闯市场、如何经营;“新农业产业拓展”系列介绍了现代农业的新趋势、新模式;“新农村和谐社会”系列包括农村政策宣讲、常见病防治、乡村文化室建立,还对农民进城务工的一些知识作了介绍。全书新颖实用,简明易懂。