That was going too far. In fact, you can see how heinous my crime was:
I taught those young persons what air and water are; whence the
lightning comes and the thunder; by what device our thoughts are
transmitted across the seas and continents by means of a metal wire;
why fire burns and why we breathe; how a seed puts forth shoots and
how a flower blossoms: all eminently hateful things in the eyes of
some people, whose feeble eyes are dazzled by the light of day.

The little lamp must be put out as quickly as possible and measures
taken to get rid of the officious person who strove to keep it alight.
The scheme was darkly plotted with the old maids who owned my house
and who saw the abomination of desolation in these new educational
methods. I had no written agreement to protect me. The bailiff
appeared with a notice on stamped paper. It baldly informed that I
must move out within four weeks from date, failing which the law would
turn my goods and chattels into the street. I had hurriedly to provide
myself with a dwelling. The first house which we found happened to be
at Orange. Thus was my exodus from Avignon effected.

We were somewhat anxious about the moving of the Cats. We were all of
us attached to them and should have thought it nothing short of
criminal to abandon the poor creatures, whom we had so often petted,
to distress and probably to thoughtless persecution. The shes and the
kittens would travel without any trouble: all you have to do is to put
them in a basket; they will keep quiet on the journey. But the old
Tom-cats were a serious problem. I had two: the head of the family,
the patriarch; and one of his descendants, quite as strong as himself.
We decided to take the grandsire, if he consented to come, and to
leave the grandson behind, after finding him a home.