THE SIGNATURE OF THE KING 153 



Another event happened that made his fame secure. 

 To the signature of the English king there came afterward 

 to be added that of Louis Philippe of France. 



He returned to America to his faithful son and wife. 

 The joy of the reunion was such as could only have fol- 

 lowed such an experience as theirs, in which each had been 

 " true to his own." 



" We have done our best for you in helping you to build 

 up your work; now we will become your agents/' said the 

 faithful wife. So said Victor. 



They became agents for the work, The American Birds. 

 The price was one thousand dollars. We anticipate events 

 to say that one hundred and seventy subscribers were at last 

 secured, and Audubon was left a fortune out of the sale," 

 after the cost of the production, which had been largely 

 advanced through the influence of Sir Thomas Lawrence, 

 had been paid. 



Audubon went to Washington with his wife. Andrew 

 Jackson was President, and that was a proud hour in the 

 naturalist's life when he, whose work had received the sig- 

 natures of two kings, seated " Lucy " at the banquet table 

 in the White House beside the courtly President of the 

 United States. 



Victor prepared to paint animals. The father and 

 son planned to visit the great West and to prepare a work 

 on The Quadrupeds of America. Catlin had painted the 

 Indian types of the prairies; Audubon wished to preserve 



