make 5,000 francs a year for him.  I think this is all straightforward, as I am paying for the education of the two children.  My daughter will remain under my guidance, as I understand.  My son will remain at the college where he now is until he has finished his education.  During the holidays he will spend a month with his father and a month with me.  In this way, there will be no contest.  Dudevant will return to Paris very soon, without making any opposition, and the Court will pronounce the separation in default."(23)

     (23) Communicated by M. S. Rocheblave.

The following amusing letter on the same subject was written by George Sand to Adolphe Duplomb in the patois peculiar to Berry: 

“DEAR HYDROGEN,

“You have been misinformed about what took place at La Chatre.  Duthell never quarrelled with the Baron of Nohant-Vic.  This is the true story.  The baron took it into his head to strike me.  Dutheil objected.  Fleury and Papet also objected.  The baron went to search for his gun to kill every one.  Every one did not want to be killed, and so the baron said:  ‘Well, that’s enough then,’ and began to drink again.  That was how it all happened.  No one quarrelled with him.  But I had had enough.  As I do not care to earn my living and then leave my substance in the hands of the diable and be bowed out of the house every year, while the village hussies sleep in my beds and bring their fleas into my house, I just said:  ‘I ain’t going to have any more of that,’ and I went and found the big judge of La Chatre, and I says, says I:  ‘That’s how it is.’  And then he says, says he:  ‘All right.’  And so he unmarried us.  And I am not sorry.  They say that the baron will make an appeal.  I ain’t knowin’.  We shall see.  If he does, he’ll lose everything.  And that’s the whole story."(24)

     (24) Communicated by M. Charles Duplomb.

The case was pleaded in March, 1836, at La Chatre, and in July at Bourges.  The Court granted the separation, and the care of the children was attributed to George Sand.

This was not the end of the affair, though.  In September, 1837, George Sand was warned that Dudevant intended to get Maurice away from her.  She sent a friend on whom she could count to take her boy to Fontainebleau, and then went herself to watch over him.  In the mean time, Dudevant, not finding his son at Nohant, took Solange away with him, in spite of the child’s tears and the resistance of the governess.  George Sand gave notice to the police, and, on discovering that her little daughter was sequestered at Guillery, near Nerac, she went herself in a post-chaise to the sub-prefect, a charming young man, who was no other than Baron Haussmann.  On hearing the story, he went himself with her, and, accompanied by the lieutenant of the constabulary and the sheriff’s officer on horseback, laid siege to the house at Guillery in which the young girl was imprisoned.  Dudevant