按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Montaigne； but she kept Rousseau apart from the others。 She devoured the books of the moralists and poets； La Bruyere； Pope； Milton； Dante； Virgil； Shakespeare。 All this reading was too much for her and excited her brain。 She had reserved Chateaubriand's _Rene_； and； on reading that； she was overcome by the sadness which emanates from these distressing pages。 She was disgusted with life； and attempted to commit suicide。 She tried to drown herself； and only owed her life to the healthy…mindedness of the good mare Colette； as the horse evidently had not the same reasons as its young mistress for wishing to put an end to its days。
All this time Aurore was entirely free to please herself。 Deschartres； who had always treated her as a boy； encouraged her independence。 It was at his instigation that she dressed in masculine attire to go out shooting。 People began to talk about her 〃eccentricities〃 at Landerneau； and the gossip continued as far as La Chatre。 Added to this； Aurore began to study osteology with a young man who lived in the neighbourhood； and it was said that this young man； Stephane Ajasson de Grandsaigne； gave her lessons in her own room。 This was the climax。
We have a curious testimony as regards the state of the young girl's mind at this epoch。 A review； entitled _Le Voile de pourpre_； published recently； in its first number； a letter from Aurore to her mother； dated November 18； 1821。 Her mother had evidently written to her on hearing the gossip about her； and had probably enlarged upon it。
〃You reproach me； mother； with neither having timidity； modesty； nor charm；〃 she writes； 〃or at least you suppose that I have these qualities； but that I refrain from showing them； and you are quite certain that I have no outward decency nor decorum。 You ought to know me before judging me in this way。 You would then be able to form an opinion about my conduct。 Grandmother is here； and； ill though she is； she watches over me carefully and lovingly； and she would not fail to correct me if she considered that I had the manners of a dragoon or of a hussar。〃
She considered that she had no need of any one to guide or protect her； and no need of leading…strings。
〃I am seventeen；〃 she says； 〃and I know my way about。〃
If this Monsieur de Grandsaigne had ventured to take any liberty with her； she was old enough to take care of herself。
Her mother had blamed her for learning Latin and osteology。 〃Why should a woman be ignorant？〃 she asks。 〃Can she not be well educated without this spoiling her and without being pedantic？ Supposing that I should have sons in the future； and that I had profited sufficiently by my studies to be able to teach them； would not a mother's lessons be as good as a tutor's？〃
She was already challenging public opinion； starting a campaign against false prejudices； showing a tendency to generalize； and to make the cause of one woman the cause of all women。
We must now bear in mind the various traits we have discovered； one after another； in Aurore's character。 We must remember to what parentage she owed her intellectuality and her sentimentality。 It will then be more easy to understand the terms she uses when describing her fascination for Rousseau's writings。
〃The language of Jean…Jacques and the form of his deductions impressed me as music might have done when heard in brilliant sunshine。 I compared him to Mozart； and I understood everything。〃
She understood him； for she recognized herself in him。 She sympathized with that predominance of feeling and imagination； that exaggeration of sentiment； that preference for life according to Nature； that emotion on beholding the various sights of the country； that distrust of people； those effusions of religious sentimentality； those solitary reveries； and that melancholy which made death seem desirable to him。 All this was to Aurore Dupin the gospel according to Rousseau。 The whole of her psychology is to be found here。
She was an exceptional being undoubtedly； but in order to be a genial exception one must have within oneself； and then personify with great intensity all the inspirations which； at a certain moment； are dispersed in the atmosphere。 Ever since the great agitation which had shaken the moral world by Rousseau's preaching； there had been various vague currents and a whole crowd of confused aspirations floating about。 It was this enormous wave that entered a feminine soul。 Unconsciously Aurore Dupin welcomed the new ideal； and it was this ideal which was to operate within her。 The question was； what would she do with it； in presence of life with all its everyday and social realities。 This question is the object of our study。 In the solution of it lies the interest； the drama and the lesson of George Sand's destiny。
II
BARONNE DUDEVANT MARRIAGE AND FREEDOMTHE ARRIVAL IN PARIS JULES SANDEAU
We must now endeavour to discover what the future George Sand's experiences of marriage were； and the result of these experiences on the formation of her ideas。
〃You will lose your best friend in me；〃 were the last words of the grandmother to her granddaughter on her death…bed。 The old lady spoke truly； and Aurore was very soon to prove this。 By a clause in her will； Madame Dupin de Francueil left the guardianship of Aurore to a cousin； Rene de Villeneuve。 It was scarcely likely； though； that Sophie…Victoire should consent to her own rights being frustrated by this illegal clause； particularly as this man belonged to the world of the 〃old Countesses。〃 She took her daughter with her to Paris。 Unfortunately for her； Aurore's eyes were now open； and she was cultured enough to have been in entire sympathy with her exquisite grandmother。 It was no longer possible for her to have the old passionate affection and indulgence for her mother； especially as she felt that she had hitherto been deserted by her。 She saw her mother now just as she was； a light woman belonging to the people； a woman who could not resign herself to growing old。 If only Sophie…Victoire had been of a tranquil disposition！ She was most restless； on the contrary； wanting to change her abode and change her restaurant every day。 She would quarrel with people one day； make it up the next； wear a different…shaped hat every day； and change the colour of her hair continually。 She was always in a state of agitation。 She loved police news and thrilling stories； read the _Sherlock Holmes_ of those days until the middle of the night。 She dreamed of such stories； and the following day went on living in an atmosphere of crime。 When she had an attack of indigestion； she always imagined that she had been poisoned。 When a visitor arrived； she thought it must be a burglar。 She was most sarcastic about Aurore's 〃fine education〃 and her literary aspirations。 Her hatred of the dead grandmother was as strong as ever。 She was constantly insulting her memory； and in her fits of anger said unheard…of things。 Aurore's silence was her only reply to these storms； and this exasperated her mother。 She declared that she would correct her daughter's 〃sly ways。〃 Aurore began to wonder with terror whether her mother's mind were not beginning to give way。 The situation finally became intolerable。
Sophie…Victoire took her daughter to spend two or three days with some friends of hers； and then left her there。 They lived in the country at Plessis…Picard； near Melun。 Aurore was delighted to find a vast park with thickets in which there were roebucks bounding about。 She loved the deep glades and the water with the green reflections of old willow trees。 Monsieur James Duplessis and his wife； Angele； were excellent people； and they adopted Aurore for the time being。 They already had five daughters； so that one more did not make much difference。 They frequented a few families in the neighbourhood； and there was plenty of gaiety among the young people。 The Duplessis took Aurore sometimes to Paris and to the theatre。
〃One evening；〃 we are told in the _Histoire de ma vie_； 〃we were having some ices at Tortoni's after the theatre； when suddenly my mother Angele said to her husband； ‘Why； there's Casimir！' A young man； slender and rather elegant； with a gay expression and a military look； came and shook hands； and answered all the questions he was asked about his father； Colonel Dudevant； who was evidently very much respected and loved by the family。〃
This was the first meeting； the first appearance of Casimir in the story； and this was how he entered into the life of Aurore。
He was invited to Plessis； he joined the young people good…humouredly in their games； was friendly with Aurore； and； without posing as a suitor； asked for her hand in marriage。 There was no reason for her to refuse him。 He was twenty…seven years of age； had served two years in the army； and had studied law in Paris。 He was a natural son； of course； but he had been recognized by his father； Colonel Dudevant。 The Dudevant family was greatly respected。 They had a _chateau_ at Guillery in Gascony。 Casimir had been well brought up and had good manners。 Aurore might as well marry him as any other young man。 It would even be preferable to marry him rather than another young man。 H