The next summer the two met again at Marienbad, and resumed their walks, talks and music.  She drew his portrait, and one day Chopin proposed.  She assured him she would always remain his friend, but her family would never consent to their marriage.  So that brief romance was over.

An attachment of a different sort was that with Mme. Dudevant, known in literature as George Sand.  Books have been written about this remarkable woman.  The family at Nohant where she had spent her childhood, where her two children, Maurice and Solange, lived, and where her husband sometimes came, became distasteful to her; she wanted to see life.  Paris offered it.  Although possessing ample means, she arranged to spend six months in Paris each year, and live on two hundred and fifty francs a month.  She came in 1831.  Her menage was of the simplest—­three small rooms, with meals from a near-by restaurant at two francs; she did the washing herself.  Woman’s attire was too expensive, so, as she had worn man’s attire when riding and hunting at Nohant, she saw nothing shocking in wearing it in Paris.

Her literary student life, as she called it, now began.  She went about the streets at all times, in all weathers; went to garrets, studios, clubs, theaters, coffee-houses, everywhere but the salons.  The romance of society-life as it was lived in the French capital, were the studies she ardently pursued.  From these studies of life grew the several novels she produced during the years that followed.

It is said that Chopin met Mme. Sand at a musical matinee, given by the Marquis of C, where the aristocracy of genius, wealth and beauty had assembled.  Chopin had gone to the piano and was absorbed in an improvisation, when lifting his eyes from the keys he encountered the fiery glances of a lady standing near.  Perhaps the truer account of their first meeting is that given by Chopin’s pupil Gutman.  Mme. Sand, who had the faculty of subjugating every man of genius she came in contact with, asked Liszt repeatedly to introduce her.

One morning, early in the year 1837, Liszt called on his brother artist and found him in good spirits over some new compositions.  He wished to play them to some friends, so it was arranged that a party of them should come to his rooms that evening.  Liszt came with his special friend, Mme. d’Agoult and George Sand.  Afterwards these meetings were frequently repeated.  Liszt poetically describes one such evening, in his “Life of Chopin.”

The fastidious musician was not at first attracted to the rather masculine-looking woman, addicted to smoking, who was short, stout, with large nose, coarse mouth and small chin.  She had wonderful eyes, though, and her manners were both quiet and fascinating.

Her influence over Chopin began almost at once; they were soon seen together everywhere.  Sand liked to master a reserved, artistic nature such as that of the Polish musician.  She was not herself musical, but appreciated all forms of art.