I, in the emotion of the moment, stooped and kissed--upon which she
exclaimed, "Mais non! je ne veux pas," and kissed me. I don't think
she is a great deal taller than I am,--yes, taller, but not a great
deal--and a little over-stout for that height. The upper part of the
face is fine, the forehead, eyebrows and eyes--dark glowing eyes as they
should be; the lower part not so good. The beautiful teeth project a
little, flashing out the smile of the large characteristic mouth, and
the chin recedes. It never could have been a beautiful face Robert and
I agree, but noble and expressive it has been and is. The complexion is
olive, quite without colour; the hair, black and glossy, divided with
evident care and twisted back into a knot behind the head, and she wore
no covering to it. Some of the portraits represent her in ringlets, and
ringlets would be much more becoming to the style of face, I fancy, for
the cheeks are rather over-full. She was dressed in a sort of woollen
grey gown, with a jacket of the same material (according to the ruling
fashion), the gown fastened up to the throat, with a small linen
collarette, and plain white muslin sleeves buttoned round the wrists.
The hands offered to me were small and well-shaped. Her manners were
quite as simple as her costume. I never saw a simpler woman. Not a shade
of affectation or consciousness, even--not a suffusion of coquetry, not
a cigarette to be seen! Two or three young men were sitting with her,
and I observed the profound respect with which they listened to every
word she said. She spoke rapidly, with a low, unemphatic voice. Repose
of manner is much more her characteristic than animation is--only,
under all the quietness, and perhaps by means of it, you are aware of an
intense burning soul. She kissed me again when we went away. . . .'



'April 7.--George Sand we came to know a great deal more of. I think