Since my duties with my pupils did not take up all my time，I organized a small class for the children of the village who could not be educated under the Russian government.In this the oldest daughter of the house aided me.We taught the little children and the girls who wished to come how to read and write，and we put in circulation Polish books which were appreciated，too，by the parents.Even this innocent work presented danger，as all initiative of this kind was forbidden by the government and might bring imprisonment or deportation to Siberia.

My evenings I generally devoted to study.I had heard that a few women had succeeded in following certain courses in Petrograd or in foreign countries，and I was determined to prepare myself by preliminary work to follow their example.

I had not yet decided what path I would choose.I was as much interested in literature and sociology as in science.However，during these years of isolated work，trying little by little to find my real preferences，I finally turned towards mathematics and physics，and resolutely undertook a serious preparation for future work.This work I proposed doing in Paris，and I hoped to save enough money to be able to live and work in that city for some time.

My solitary study was beset with difficulties.The scientific education I had received at the lyceum was very incomplete；it was well under the bachelorship program of a French lyceum；I tried to add to it in my own way，with the help of books picked up at random.This method could not be greatly productive，yet it was not without results.I acquired the habit of independent work，and learned a few things which were to be of use later on.

因為在農莊的工作沒有占用我所有的時間，所以在教課之余我便把村子里許多因為被俄國人統治而沒法求學的兒童，以及那些想要加入我們學習讀寫的女孩子編成一個班，用波蘭語的課本教他們讀書寫字。在這個過程中，主人家的大女兒就成了我的助手。孩子們的父母對我非常感激，但是說實話，我需要承擔一定的風險：雖然我的這種義務教學有利無弊，但卻是政府所禁止的，因為它被認為不利于社會穩定，所以，一旦被察覺，我就很有可能被捕入獄或是被流放到西伯利亞。

晚上的空余時間，我一般都用來學習。我曾經聽說過彼得格勒或者其他國家的女性在某些領域取得成功的事跡，于是我決定以她們為榜樣開始努力，爭取取得和她們同樣的成績。

當時我并沒有決定選擇什么方向進行發展。開始我對文學和社會學有著很濃厚的興趣，但是通過長達三年的學習，我卻逐漸發現自己真正喜歡的還是數學與物理，因此也就一步一步地朝著這個方向發展，并暗下決心日后要到巴黎求學，并為此認真地做了學習上的準備。并且我還計劃著積攢點錢，用來負擔自己今后在巴黎的學習與生活。

自學的過程中充滿了困難。我在中學時期所學的東西非常不完整，與法國的中學相比是有很大差距的。為了將差距縮小，我便通過自己選擇的一些書籍來自學。這種方法雖然不很理想，卻也收到了一些成效。我不但學到了一些對日后有所裨益的知識，還養成了獨立思考的習慣。

I had to modify my plans for the future when my eldest sister decided to go to Paris to study medicine.We had promised each other mutual aid，but our means did not permit of our leaving together.So I kept my position for three and a half years，and，having finished my work with my pupils，I returned to Warsaw，where a position，similar to the one I had left，was awaiting me.

I kept this new place for only a year and then went back to my father，who had retired some time before and was living alone.Together we passed an excellent year，he occupying himself with some literary work，while I increased our funds by giving private lessons.Meantime I continued my efforts to educate myself.This was no easy task under the Russian government of Warsaw；yet I found more opportunities than in the country.To my great joy，I was able，for the first time in my life，to find access to a laboratory：a small municipal physical laboratory directed by one of my cousins.I found little time to work there，except in the evenings and on Sundays，and was generally left to myself.I tried out various experiments described in treatises on physics and chemistry，and the results were sometimes unexpected.At times I would be encouraged by a little unhoped-for success，at others I would be in the deepest despair because of accidents and failures resulting from my inexperience.But on the whole，though I was taught that the way of progress is neither swift nor easy，this first trial confirmed in me the taste for experimental research in the fields of physics and chemistry.

在我大姐決定到巴黎學醫時，我被迫更改了自己的學習計劃。因為我家的經濟狀況不允許我們倆同時赴巴黎留學，所以我們兩個許諾互相幫助，先后完成學業。這樣，我便一直待在這位農莊主家，直到三年半后把我三個學生的課程教完。然后，我回到華沙，那兒有一個類似的工作在等著我。

這個新的工作我干了一年。然后，我就回到已經退休并且獨自生活的父親身邊，與他共同度過了一年的美好時光。在這一年中，他寫了一些作品，我則通過做家教獲得一些酬勞用以補貼家用。與此同時，我仍舊抓緊時間自學。在俄國人統治下的華沙，想要實現自己的夢想并不容易，但比起在農村時，成功的概率則更大一些。最使我興奮的是，我生平第一次可以進入一間實驗室去做實驗：這是屬于市政府的一個小實驗室，我的一個堂哥是這個實驗室的主任。除去晚上和星期天，我沒有時間進實驗室做實驗，而且通常都是我自己在做。按照課本上所講的方法，我做了各種各樣的物理與化學實驗，經常會獲得一些預料之外的結果。這時候，我會因為這些成功而興奮，并且大受鼓舞；不過有的時候，我也會由于缺乏經驗導致失敗而感到非常沮喪。這些經歷使我更加懂得，成功的道路非常坎坷。不過，這也讓我更加堅信，我的天性的確適合對物理與化學進行研究。

Other means of instruction came to me through my being one of an enthusiastic group of young men and women of Warsaw，who united in a common desire to study，and whose activities were at the same time social and patriotic.It was one of those groups of Polish youths who believed that the hope of their country lay in a great effort to develop the intellectual and moral strength of the nation，and that such an effort would lead to a better national situation.The nearest purpose was to work at one's own instruction and to provide means of instruction for workmen and peasants.In accordance with this program we agreed among ourselves to give evening courses，each one teaching what he knew best.There is no need to say that this was a secret organization，which made everything extremely difficult.There were in our group very devoted young people who，as I still believe today，could do truly useful work.

I have a bright remembrance of the sympathetic intellectual and social companionship which I enjoyed at that time.Truly the means of action were poor and the results obtained could not be considerable；yet I still believe that the ideas which inspired us then are the only way to real social progress.You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals.To that end each of us must work for his own improvement，and at the same time share a general responsibility for all humanity，our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think we can be most useful.