in 1847, and he died, as everyone knows, on October 17, 1849.  In each of these dates appears the number which Chopin regarded with a superstitious dread, which he avoided whenever he could-for instance, he would not at any price take lodgings in a house the number of which contained a seven—­ and which may be thought by some to have really exercised a fatal influence over him.  It is hardly necessary to point out that it was this fatal number which fixed the date in Franchomme’s memory.

But supposing Chopin and George Sand to have really met at the Marquis de Custine’s, was this their first meeting?

[FOONOTE:  That they were on one occasion both present at a party given by the Marquis de Custine may be gathered from Freiherr von Flotow’s Reminiscences of his life in Paris (published in the “Deutsche Revue” of January, 1883, p. 65); but not that this was their first meeting, nor the time when it took place.  As to the character of this dish of reminiscences, I may say that it is sauced and seasoned for the consumption of the blase magazine reader, and has no nutritive substance whatever.]

I put the question to Liszt in the course of a conversation I had with him some years ago in Weimar.  His answer was most positive, and to the effect that the first meeting took place at Chopin’s own apartments.  “I ought to know best,” he added, “seeing that I was instrumental in bringing the two together.”  Indeed, it would be difficult to find a more trustworthy witness in this matter than Liszt, who at that time not only was one of the chief comrades of Chopin, but also of George Sand.  According to him, then, the meeting came about in this way.  George Sand, whose curiosity had been excited both by the Polish musician’s compositions and by the accounts she had heard of him, expressed to Liszt the wish to make the acquaintance of his friend.  Liszt thereupon spoke about her to Chopin, but the latter was averse to having any intercourse with her.  He said he did not like literary women, and was not made for their society; it was different with his friend, who there found himself in his element.  George Sand, however, did not cease to remind Liszt of his promise to introduce her to Chopin.  One morning in the early part of 1837 Liszt called on his friend and brother-artist, and found him in high spirits on account of some compositions he had lately finished.  As Chopin was anxious to play them to his friends, it was arranged to have in the evening a little party at his rooms.

This seemed to Liszt an excellent opportunity to redeem the promise which he had given George Sand when she asked for an introduction; and, without telling Chopin what he was going to do, he brought her with him along with the Comtesse d’Agoult.  The success of the soiree was such that it was soon followed by a second and many more.