george sand-第7章

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　was　there　that　I　felt；　and　very　deeply　too；　my　first　approach　of　trouble。　。　。　。〃＇3＇


＇3＇　Extract　from　the　unpublished　letters　of　George　Sand　to　Dr。　Emile　Regnault。


They　left　Ormesson　for　Paris；　and　Paris　for　Nohant；　and　after　that；　by　way　of　trying　to　shake　off　the　dulness　that　was　oppressing　them；　they　had　recourse　to　the　classical　mode　of　diversiona　voyage。


They　set　off　on　the　5th　of　July；　1825；　for　that　famous　expedition　to　the　Pyrenees；　which　was　to　be　so　important　a　landmark　in　Aurore　Dudevant's　history。　　On　crossing　the　Pyrenees；　the　scenery；　so　new　to　heror　rather　the　memory　of　which　had　been　lying　dormant　in　her　mind　since　her　childhoodfilled　her　with　wild　enthusiasm。　　This　intense　emotion　contributed　to　develop　within　her　that　sense　of　the　picturesque　which；　later　on；　was　to　add　so　considerably　to　her　talent　as　a　writer。　　She　had　hitherto　been　living　in　the　country　of　plains；　the　Ile…de…France　and　Berry。　　The　contrast　made　her　realize　all　the　beauties　of　nature；　and；　on　her　return；　she　probably　understood　her　own　familiar　scenery；　and　enjoyed　it　all　the　more。　　She　had　hitherto　appreciated　it　vaguely。　　Lamartine　learnt　to　love　the　severe　scenery　of　Milly　better　on　returning　to　it　after　the　softness　of　Italy。

The　Pyrenees　served；　too；　for　Baronne　Dudevant　as　the　setting　for　an　episode　which　was　unique　in　her　sentimental　life。

In　the　_Histoire　de　ma　vie_　there　is　an　enigmatical　page　in　which　George　Sand　has　intentionally　measured　and　velled　every　expression。　　She　speaks　of　her　moral　solitude；　which；　at　that　time；　was　profound　and　absolute；　and　she　adds：　　〃It　would　have　been　mortal　to　a　tender　mind　and　to　a　girl　in　the　flower　of　her　youth；　if　it　had　not　been　filled　with　a　dream　which　had　taken　the　importance　of　a　great　passion；　not　in　my　life；　as　I　had　sacrificed　my　life　to　duty；　but　in　my　thoughts。　　I　was　in　continual　correspondence　with　an　absent　person　to　whom　I　told　all　my　thoughts；　all　my　dreams；　who　knew　all　my　humble　virtues；　and　who　heard　all　my　platonic　enthusiasm。　　This　person　was　excellent　in　reality；　but　I　attributed　to　him　more　than　all　the　perfections　possible　to　human　nature。　　I　only　saw　this　man　for　a　few　days；　and　sometimes　only　for　a　few　hours；　in　the　course　of　a　year。　　He　was　as　romantic；　in　his　intercourse　with　me；　as　I　was。　　Consequently　he　did　not　cause　me　any　scruples；　either　of　religion　or　of　conscience。　　This　man　was　the　stay　and　consolation　of　my　exile；　as　regards　the　world　of　reality。〃　　It　was　this　dream；　as　intense　as　any　passion；　that　we　must　study　here。　　We　must　make　the　acquaintance　of　this　excellent　and　romantic　man。

Aurelien　de　Seze　was　a　young　magistrate；　a　few　years　older　than　Aurore。　　He　was　twenty…six　years　of　age　and　she　was　twenty…one。　He　was　the　great…nephew　of　the　counsel　who　pleaded　for　Louis　XVI。　　There　was；　therefore；　in　his　family　a　tradition　of　moral　nobility；　and　the　young　man　had　inherited　this。　　He　had　met　Aurore　at　Bordeaux　and　again　at　Cauterets。　　They　had　visited　the　grottoes　of　Lourdes　together。　　Aurelien　had　appreciated　the　young　wife's　charm；　although　she　had　not　attempted　to　attract　his　attention；　as　she　was　not　coquettish。　　She　appreciated　in　himall　that　was　so　lacking　in　Casimir　culture　of　mind；　seriousness　of　character；　discreet　manners　which　people　took　at　first　for　coldness；　and　a　somewhat　dignified　elegance。　　He　was　scrupulously　honest；　a　magistrate　of　the　old　school；　sure　of　his　principles　and　master　of　himself。　　It　was；　probably；　just　that　which　appealed　to　the　young　wife；　who　was　a　true　woman　and　who　had　always　wished　to　be　dominated。　　When　they　met　again　at　Breda；　they　had　an　explanation。　　This　was　the　〃violent　grief〃　of　which　George　Sand　speaks。　　She　was　consoled　by　a　friend；　Zoe　Leroy；　who　found　a　way　of　calming　this　stormy　soul。　　She　came　through　this　crisis　crushed　with　emotion　and　fatigue；　but　calm　and　joyful。　　They　had　vowed　to　love　each　other；　but　to　remain　without　reproach；　and　their　vow　was　faithfully　kept。

Aurore；　therefore；　had　nothing　with　which　to　reproach　herself；　but　with　her　innate　need　of　being　frank；　she　considered　it　her　duty　to　write　a　letter　to　her　husband；　informing　him　of　everything。　　This　was　the　famous　letter　of　November　8；　1825。　　Later　on；　in　1836；　when　her　case　for　separation　from　her　husband　was　being　heard；　a　few　fragments　of　it　were　read　by　her　husband's　advocate　with　the　idea　of　incriminating　her。　　By　way　of　reply　to　this；　George　Sand's　advocate　read　the　entire　letter　in　all　its　eloquence　and　generosity。　　It　was　greeted　by　bursts　of　applause　from　the　audience。

All　this　is　very　satisfactory。　　It　is　exactly　the　situation　of　the　Princess　of　Cleves　in　Madame　de　Lafayette's　novel。　　The　Princess　of　Cleves　acknowledges　to　her　husband　the　love　she　cannot　help　feeling　for　Monsieur　de　Nemours；　and　asks　for　his　help　and　advice　as　her　natural　protector。　　This　fine　proceeding　is　usually　admired；　although　it　cost　the　life　of　the　Prince　of　Cleves；　who　died　broken…hearted。　Personally；　I　admire　it　too；　although　at　times　I　wonder　whether　we　ought　not　rather　to　see　in　it　an　unconscious　suggestion　of　perversity。　　This　confession　of　love　to　the　person　who　is　being；　as　it　were；　robbed　of　that　love；　is　in　itself　a　kind　of　secret　pleasure。　　By　speaking　of　the　love；　it　becomes　more　real；　we　bring　it　out　to　light　instead　of　letting　it　die　away　in　those　hidden　depths　within　us；　in　which　so　many　of　the　vague　sentiments　which　we　have　not　cared　to　define；　even　to　ourselves；　die　away。　　Many　women　have　preferred　this　more　silent　way；　in　which　they　alone　have　been　the　sufferers。　　But　such　women　are　not　the　heroines　of　novels。　　No　one　has　appreciated　their　sacrifice；　and　they　themselves　could　scarcely　tell　all　that　it　has　cost　them。

Aurelien　de　Seze　had　taken　upon　himself　the　_role_　of　confidant　to　this　soul　that　he　had　allotted　to　himself。　　He　took　his　_role_　very　seriously；　as　was　his　custom　in　all　things。　　He　became　the　young　wife's　director　in　all　matters　of　conscience。　　The　letters　which　he　wrote　to　her　have　been　preserved；　and　we　know　them　by　the　extracts　and　the　analysis　that　Monsieur　Rocheblave　has　given　us　and　by　his　incisive　commentaries　of　them。＇4＇　They　are　letters　of　guidance；　spiritual　letters。　　The　laic　confessor　endeavours；　before　all　things；　to　calm　the　impatience　of　this　soul　which　is　more　and　more　ardent　and　more　and　more　troubled　every　day。　　He　battles　with　her　about　her　mania　of　philosophizing；　her　wish　to　sift　everything　and　to　get　to　the　bottom　of　everything。　　Strong　in　his　own　calmness；　he　kept　repeating　to　her　in　a　hundred　different　ways　the　words：　　〃Be　calm！〃　　The　advice　was　good；　the　only　difficulty　was　the　following　of　the　advice。


＇4＇　〃George　Sand　avant　George　Sand；〃　by　S。　Rocheblave　（_Revue　de　Paris_；　December　15；　1894）。


Gradually　the　professor　lost　his　hold　on　his　pupil；　for　it　seems　as　though　Aurore　were　the　first　to　tire。　　Aurelien　finally　began　to　doubt　the　efficacy　of　his　preaching。　　The　usual　fate　of　sentiments　outside　the　common　order　of　things　is　that　they　last　the　length　of　time　that　a　crisis　of　enthusiasm　lasts。　　The　best　thing　that　can　happen　then　is　that　their　nature　should　not　change；　that　they　should　not　deteriorate；　as　is　so　often　the　case。　　When　they　remain　intact　to　the　end；　they　leave　behind　them；　in　the　soul；　a　trail　of　light；　a　trail　of　cold；　pure　light。


The　decline　of　this　platonic　_liaison_　with　Aurelien　de　Seze　dates　from　1828。　　Some　grave　events　were　taking　place　at　Nohant　about　this　time。　　For　the　last　few　years　Casimir　had　fallen　into　the　vices　of　certain　country　squires；　or　so…called　gentlemen　farmers。　　He　had　taken　to　drink；　in　company　with　Hippolyte　Chatiron；　and　it　seems　that　the　intoxication　peculiar　to　the　natives　of　Berry　takes　a　heavy　and　not　a　gay　form。　　He　had　also　taken　to　other　bad　habits；　away　from　home　at　first；　and　later　on　under　the　conjugal　roof。　　He　was　particularly　partial　to　the　maid…servants；　and；　the　day　following　the　birth　of　her　daughter；　Solange；　Aurore　had　an　unpleasant　surprise　with　regard　to　her　husband。　　From　that　day　forth；　what　had　hitherto　been　only　a　vague　wish　on　her　part　became　a　fixed　idea　with　her；　and　she　began　to　form　plans。　　A　certain　incident　served　as　a　pretext。　　When　putting　some　papers　in　order；　Aurore　came　upon　her　husband'