writings a revolution in manners and morals, and that she was none the
less struck by the objections to the one than by those to the other.

She knew just what he thought about her; she had neither force of
conception, nor the art of pathos, but--without knowing the French
language--she had _style_. Like him, she took her glory in raillery,
and had a profound contempt for the public, which she called
_Jumento_. Defending her past life, he says: "All the follies that she
has committed are titles to fame in the eyes of great and noble souls.
She was duped by Madame Dorval, Bocage, Lammennais, etc., etc. Through
the same sentiment she is now the dupe of Liszt and Madame d'Agoult;
she has just realized it for this couple as for la Dorval, for she has
one of those minds that are powerful in the study, through intellect,
but extremely easy to entrap on the domain of reality."

During this week-end visit, Madame Dudevant related to Balzac the
story of Liszt and Madame d'Agoult, which he reproduced in _Beatrix_,
since in her position, she could not do so herself. In the same book,
George Sand is portrayed as Mademoiselle des Touches, with the
complexion, pale olive by day, and white under artificial light,
characteristic of Italian beauty. The face, rather long than oval,
resembles that of some beautiful Isis. Her hair, black and thick,
falls in plaited loops over her neck, like the head-dress with rigid
double locks of the statues at Memphis, accentuating very finely the
general severity of her features. She has a full, broad forehead,
bright with its smooth surface on which the light lingers, and molded
like that of a hunting Diana; a powerful, wilful brow, calm and still.
The eyebrows, strongly arched, bend over the eyes in which the fire
sparkles now and again like that of fixed stars. The cheek-bones,
though softly rounded, are more prominent than in most women, and