LIFE OF SAD1 CARNOT. 23 



At another time, when the minister, wishing to 

 return to Paris, sought his son, who had been left 

 with Madame Bonaparte, it was discovered that he 

 had run away. They found him a long way off, in 

 a mill, the mechanism of which he was trying to 

 understand. This desire had been in the child's 

 mind for days, and the honest miller, not knowing 

 who he was, was kindly answering all his ques- 

 tions. Curiosity, especially in regard to mechanics 

 and physics, was one of the essential traits of 

 Sadies mind. 



On account of this disposition so early mani- 

 fested, Carnot did not hesitate to give a scientific 

 direction to the studies of his son. He was able 

 to undertake this task himself when the monarchi- 

 cal tendencies of the new government had deter- 

 mined him to retire. For a few months only Sadi 

 followed the course of M. Bourdon at the Charle- 

 magne Lycee to prepare himself for the Poly- 

 technic School. 



The pupil made rapid progress. He was just 

 sixteen years old when he was admitted to the 

 school, the twenty-fourth on the list. This was 

 in 1812. The following year he left it, first in 

 artillery. But he was considered too young for the 

 school of Metz, and he continued his studies at 

 Paris for a year. To this circumstance is due the 



