SCHOOL DAYS IN FRANCE 95 



head in silence. His sister Rosa, on the contrary, who 

 was also called to account, was warmly commended upon 

 the improvement shown in her musical exercises. The 

 next morning at dawn a carriage was drawn up before 

 the Audubon door, and with the father and son, together 

 with the latter's trunk and violin, was soon proceeding 

 in the direction of Rochefort. The sailor had laid his 

 plans and was about to execute them in his own way. 

 Presently, said the son, his father drew forth a book 

 and began to read, thus leaving him to his own resources. 

 In this way they traveled for a number of days, not an 

 unnecessary word being spoken during the entire jour- 

 ney, until the walls of Rochefort had been passed, and 

 they alighted at the door of the father's house in that 

 city. When they had entered, the naturalist continues, 

 "my father bade me sit by his side, and taking one of my 

 hands, calmly said to me: 'My beloved boy, thou art 

 now safe. I have brought thee here that I may be able 

 to pay constant attention to thy studies; thou shalt 

 have ample time for pleasures, but the remainder must 

 be employed with industry and care. This day is en- 

 tirely thine, and as I must attend to my duties, if thou 

 wishest to see the docks, the fine ships-of-war, and walk 

 around the wall, thou mayest accompany me.' 



The youth accepted his father's proposal with good 

 grace, and was presented to the officers whom they met, 

 but he soon found that he was like a prisoner of war 

 on parade. He was enrolled at once in the military 

 school, where he was placed under the immediate care 

 of Gabriel Loyen du Puigaudeau, his future brother-in- 

 law. It was not long, however, before young Audubon 

 gave his guardian the slip; he jumped from the window 

 of his prison and made for the gardens of the Marine 

 Secretariat, but a corporal, whom he had recognized as 



