Full of hope, therefore, and with a cheerful heart, I set about
obtaining a situation.

Hearing that the Oriental department of the Bibliothèque du Roi was
about to undergo some alterations, and that an assistant librarian was
wanted to reärrange and re-catalogue the books, I applied at once for
the situation. I was closely examined as to my qualifications, and much
surprise manifested at the proficiency I had attained in these unwonted
studies; but my application was refused, because--I was a woman.

I next answered by letter the advertisement of a distinguished _savant_
who was about to undertake the translation of the Sacred Vedas, and was
in want of an amanuensis. To this I received the following reply:

'MADEMOISELLE: If your attainments in Sanscrit are such as you
represent them, I am convinced that you would exactly suit me,
were you a young man. But I am a bachelor; there is not a single
female in my establishment; your sex, therefore, renders it
impossible for me to employ you as my amanuensis.'

_My sex_ again! Discouraged, but not daunted, I applied successively to
the Société Asiatique, to the librarian of the Institute, and to three
or four private individuals of more or less note. From all of them I
received the same answer--the situation was not open to women.

Meantime the few francs I had had at my father's death vanished, one by
one. The woman from whom I hired my room became clamorous for the rent.
I had a few superfluous articles of clothing. I disposed of them at the
Mont-de-Piété, and thus kept the wolf from the door a little longer.