CHAPTEE VIII 



THE GENIUS THAT SEES THE STORY OF THE FOREST INN AND 



THE WREN 



The father of Audubon, the French admiral, left a 

 goodly estate in France, but the French members of the 

 family stood in need of it, and Audubon surrendered his 

 claim upon it under a sense of duty, as the other heirs 

 needed the property more than he. 



" I will go into the world conscience free," he rea> 

 soned. 



The old schoolmistress, the Knitter of Mantes, rejoiced 

 at the decision. She saw the secret webs of life. 



" A clear conscience makes clear sight," said she. " La^ 

 forest [Audubon's home name] must become a great natu- 

 ralist, and nature does not reveal her deepest meanings to 

 any mind that is clouded with any specks of character. 

 Selfishness is a speck on the eyes, as anything is that does 

 not leave the conscience free to see. Laforest is pursuing 

 the right course if he wishes to be a student of nature. It 

 it the giving up of oneself that makes the wings of con- 

 science free." 



Audubon felt the force and truth of this principle of 

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