Paris is not easily excited over an intrigue conducted according to the established codes by which the intriguers bury their heads in the sand, as a form of pretence that nobody knows that they are billing and cooing beneath the sand, though of course everybody knows it, and they know that everybody knows it, except possibly the one other person most interested.  But Paris was dumbfounded that a very prominent and beautiful comtesse should leave her husband and her children in broad daylight, and go visiting the most famous pianist in the world.  The pianist was to blame, of course, in the public eye, and the whole affair was branded as a flagrant case of abduction.  But, as we know now, it was the pianist who was the victim of this Sabine procedure.

Liszt’s actions in this affair seemed, as usual, to be an outrage upon the ordinary laws of decency, but when the truth was learned, we find, as the world found—­as usual, too late to change its opinion of him—­that he did everything in his power to undo the evil into which his passion had hurried him, and to set himself right with the usual standards of society.  And, as usual, he failed absolutely, because of the curious and insane stubbornness of the woman.

Some years later, even the Comte d’Agoult, as well as the comtesse’ brother, the Comte Flavigny, confessed that Liszt had acted as a man of honour.  The comte had obtained a legal separation from his wife, retaining their daughter.  Liszt now proposed marriage.  Both being Catholics, it was necessary to experience a change of heart and become Protestants.  He exclaimed one day:  “Si nous etions Protestants" but the comtesse crushed this hope with a sharp “La Comtesse d’Agoult ne sera jamais Madame Liszt.”

Liszt bowed to the inevitable, and kept together his many patches of honour as well as he was permitted.  The comtesse had a personal income of four thousand dollars a year, which was as nothing.  According to Liszt’s secretary, during the time of her stay with Liszt, she spent sixty thousand dollars, the most of which Liszt earned himself by his concerts.  The pianist and the comtesse soon left Basle for Geneva, where they remained till 1836, with the exception of one journey to Paris, which Liszt made for a concert.  But he returned rather to literature than to music, as on another occasion did Wagner.

For five years Liszt and the comtesse travelled about Switzerland and Italy, he occasionally being convinced that he was seriously in love with the woman who had been so imperious and unreasonable.  A few conservatives outlawed him, but there were people enough who forgave him, or approved him, to give him an abundance of society of the highest and most aristocratic sort.

In 1836 his old flame, George Sand, visited Liszt and the comtesse.  They toured Switzerland on mules.  George Sand has described the wanderings in her “Lettres d’un Voyageur,” where Franz represents Liszt, Arabella, the comtesse, and where one may read a poetic description of the comtesse’ beauty even after being drenched with rain.  Beauty that is water-proof is beauty indeed!