330 AUDUBON 



remained talking with him more than an hour ; I showed 

 him my hst of Enghsh subscribers, many of whom he knew. 

 I asked him for his own signature ; he took my Hst and with 

 a smile wrote, in very large and legible characters, " Le Due 

 d'Orleans." I now felt to remain longer would be an in- 

 trusion, and thanking him respectfully I bowed, shook 

 hands with him, and retired. He wished to keep the set I 

 had shown him, but it was soiled, and to such a good man 

 a good set must go. At the door I asked the fat porter 

 if he would tell me again his master was out. He tried in 

 vain to blush. 



October 1. Received to-day the note from the Minister 

 of the Interior asking me to call to-morrow at two. At 

 eight in the evening I was ready for M. Valenciennes to 

 call for me to go with him to Gerard. I waited till ten, 

 when my gentleman came, and off we went ; what a time 

 to pay a visit ! But I was told Gerard ^ keeps late hours, 

 rarely goes to bed before two, but is up and at work by 

 ten or eleven. When I entered I found the rooms filled 

 with both sexes, and my name being announced, a small, 

 well-formed man came to me, took my hand, and said, 

 " Welcome, Brother in Arts." I liked this much, and was 

 gratified to have the ice broken so easily. Gerard was all 

 curiosity to see my drawings, and old Redoutc, who was 

 present, spoke so highly of them before the book was 

 opened, that I feared to discover Gerard's disappointment. 

 The book opened accidentally at the plate of the Parrots, 

 and Gerard, taking it up without speaking, looked at it, I 

 assure thee, with as keen an eye as my own, for several 

 minutes; put it down, took up the one of the Mocking- 

 Birds, and, offering me his hand, said: "Mr. Audubon, 

 you are the king of ornithological painters; we are all 

 children in France and in Europe. Who would have ex- 

 pected such things from the woods of America?" My 



1 Fran9ois Gerard, born at Rome 1770, died 1837 ; the best French 

 portrait painter of his time, distinguished also for historical pictures. 



