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 
Secrétariat, but a corporal, whom he had recognized as 
