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