george sand-第6部分

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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's　will。　　It　was　a　mere　diatribe；　in　which　the　future　〃deceased〃　gave　utterance　to　all　his　past　grievances　against　his　_idiotic_　wife。　　Her　mind　was　made　up　irrevocably　from　this　moment。　　She　would　have　her　freedom　again；　she　would　go　to　Paris　and　spend　three　months　out　of　six　there。　　She　had　a　young　tutor　from　the　south　of　France；　named　Boucoiran；　educating　her　children。　　This　Boucoiran　needed　to　be　taken　to　task　constantly；　and　Baronne　Dudevant　did　not　spare　him。＇5＇


＇5＇　An　instance　of　her　disposition　for　lecturing　will　be　seen　in　the　following　curious　letter　sent　by　George　Sand　to　her　friend　and　neighbour；　Adolphe　Duplomb。　　This　letter　has　never　been　published　before；　and　we　owe　our　thanks　for　it　to　Monsieur　Charles　Duplomb。

_Nohant；　July_　23；1830。


〃Are　you　so　very　much　afraid　of　me；　my　poor　Hydrogene？　　You　expect　a　good　lecture　and　you　will　not　expect　in　vain。　　Have　patience；　though。　　Before　giving　you　the　dressing　you　deserve；　I　want　to　tell　you　that　I　have　not　forgotten　you；　and　that　I　was　very　vexed　on　returning　from　Paris；　to　find　my　great　simpleton　of　a　son　gone。　　I　am　so　used　to　seeing　your　solemn　face　that　I　quite　miss　it。　　You　have　a　great　many　faults；　but　after　all；　you　are　a　good　sort；　and　in　time　you　will　get　reasonable。　　Try　to　remember　occasionally；　my　dear　Plombeus；　that　you　have　friends。　　If　I　were　your　only　friend；　that　would　be　a　great　deal；　as　I　am　to　be　depended　on；　and　am　always　at　my　post　as　a　friend；　although　I　may　not　be　very　tender。　　I　am　not　very　polite　either；　as　I　speak　the　truth　plainly。　　That　is　my　characteristic；　though。　　I　am　a　firm　friend　nevertheless；　and　to　be　depended　on。　　Do　not　forget　what　I　have　said　now；　as　I　shall　not　often　repeat　this。　　Remember；　too；　that　happiness　in　this　world　depends　on　the　interest　and　esteem　that　we　inspire。　　I　do　not　say　this　to　every　one；　as　it　would　be　impossible；　but　just　to　a　certain　number　of　friends。　　It　is　impossible　to　find　one's　happiness　entirely　in　one's　self；　without　being　an　egoist；　and　I　do　not　think　so　badly　of　you　that　I　imagine　you　to　be　one。　　A　man　whom　no　one　cares　for　is　wretched；　and　the　man　who　has　friends

is　afraid　of　grieving　them　by　behaving　badly。　　As　Polyte　says；　all　this　is　for　the　sake　of　letting　you　know　that　you　must　do　your　best　to　behave　well；　if　you　want　to　prove　to　me　that　you　are　not　ungrateful　for　my　interest　in　you。　　You　ought　to　get　rid　of　the　bad　habit　of　boasting　that　you　have　adopted　through　frequenting　young　men　as　foolish　as　yourself。　　Do　whatever　your　position　and　your　health　allow　you　to　do；　provided　that　you　do　not　compromise　the　honour　or　the　reputation　of　any　one　else。　　I　do　not　see　that　a　young　man　is　called　upon　to　be　as　chaste　as　a　nun。　　But　keep　your　good　or　bad　luck　in　your　love　affairs　to　yourself。　　Silly　talk　is　always　repeated；　and　it　may　chance　to　get　to　the　ears　of　sensible　people　who　will　disapprove。　　Try；　too；　not　to　make　so　many　plans；　but　to　carry　out　just　one　or　two　of　them。　　You　know　that　is　why　I　quarrel　with　you　always。　　I　should　like　to　see　more　constancy　in　you。　　You　tell　Hippolyte　that　you　are　very　willing　and　courageous。　　As　to　physical　courage；　of　the　kind　that　consists　in　enduring　illness　and　in　not　fearing　death；　I　dare　say　you　have　that；　but　I　doubt　very　much　whether　you　have　the　courage　necessary　for　sustained　work；　unless　you　have　very　much　altered。　　Everything　fresh　delights　you；　but　after　a　little　time　you　only　see　the　inconveniences　of　your　position。　　You　will　scarcely　find　anything　without　something　that　is　annoying　and　troublesome；　but　if　you　cannot　learn　to　put　up　with　things　you　will　never　be　a　man。

〃This　is　the　end　of　my　sermon。　　I　expect　you　have　had　enough　of　it；　especially　as　you　are　not　accustomed　to　reading　my　bad　handwriting。　　I　shall　be　glad　to　hear　from　you；　but　do　not　consider　your　letter　as　a　State　affair；　and　do　not　torment　yourself　to　arrange　well…turned　phrases。　　I　do　not　care　for　such　phrases　at　all。　　A　letter　is　always　good　enough　when　the　writer　expresses　himself　naturally；　and　says　what　he　thinks。　　Fine　pages　are　all　very　well　for　the　s