THE ENIGMA OF AUDUBON’S LIFE 267 
During his Henderson period Audubon was in 
communication with his brother-in-law, Gabriel Loyen 
du Puigaudeau, who kept him informed in regard to 
all that transpired in their French home; on July 26, 
1817, the naturalist had given him a power of attorney, 
the curious wording of which has already been noticed.® 
Whether deterred by the legal complications which soon 
followed, displeased by the mode of settlement, or for 
. what other cause now unknown to us, Audubon seems 
to have severed all relations with his family at Couéron, 
or to have written to them only after long lapses of 
silence. On New Year’s Day, 1820, Gabriel du Puigau- 
deau dispatched to him a friendly letter *° of greeting: 
I take the opportunity at the renewal of the year, to offer 
you the good wishes of the entire family. Our every desire is 
that you, your beloved wife, and dear children may be happy, 
that you may prosper, that you may enjoy good health, and 
this is the wish of your nieces also. But, awaiting the pleasure 
of seeing you all, by what fatality during the past eighteen 
months have I not had any news of you, why no reply to at 
least twenty letters that I have written to you? Can I have 
been so unfortunate that some one has given you any report 
that would prejudice you against me? I do not believe that 
there could exist any one who would be able to do this, at least 
with truth; if some one has really sought to estrange your 
friendship for me, act with frankness, and tell me your sus- 
picions. I do not believe it would be difficult to destroy them, 
and I even promise that I would offer you no reproach for 
having momentarily believed it, should this after all have oc- 
curred. For what concerns our business affairs, I refer you to 
my letters which have preceded this. 
®See Vol. I, p. 64. 
This, and the letter to follow, translated from Gabriel du Puigau- 
deau’s copies. (Lavigne MSS.) 
