, 1877-09-08
CHOPIN AND GEORGE SAND!
An Account of TIlcir F1rat Meeting.
Anrk.ioNstFA E{ff nf GHopir.


A short tltno after Ills return from Part
Chopin received intelligence that llls bctroths1
Marlc, bud prntcrrcl to marry Count 11stsa!
Of an nrtiat antt man Of genius. THIS e'fas
Ind Tor Chopin very kclous consequences. ~
tho l,opo Of surprising und forgetting u
Injury Tint Ind been Inflicted on hun. he shH1
himself Into the arms Ut woman who exercised
q ycry haueful influence over him.
It Ind raiucd all day. Chopin. whose se1a
tive nervous systcm suffered gtehtly unds'ls
alterations Of tlln weather, aud to whoa' :, lafa
glootnicst humor. Al last. when II was almea
III o'clouk, II occurred to him to visit the ssla
Of the Countess c. When he looked aoouln
thu salon, utter greeting the lady Of the lou.e.
ho found anuLncrous company, 4iYlusa ius9
1i.crntlrc, political affairs, mud tho eyrnhg
tile 1ar, Chopin, that evening moro tnc!tbea
10 listen ttau 10 talk, seated llI',sclf In evfas
Ut the aalon. After purtlon VI the eonpsa!
friends Of the Countess ramuine1, Chop!u. 'ast ~
In tho MOOD of telllnE musical fairy taiss. ~
down At the pianu and lmpr0ytsca. All lntehs,a
brcathlcss. til! Gually, absorbed compctelI y
himself, an! luoklng only at tho EeYs, he ri ~
vloscd Ills improvisation, 10 raised hls cfss s04
remarked lady, SIMPLY dressed, who, lea9ns s.s
on the instrument, seemed to Wish 70 lcsa ~ ~
very soul With her dark, 1ery eyes. Chopll ~
that be buthcd Under tho fascinating ga1e ~ ~
! ~
artist .0sa from hts seat to withdraw bllass.A w..
frosn tho pauy behind group ot calhen.,, s.s
lls hcaEd tue PECULIAR cycpitatlon Of klAeu
dress, lro,n which streamed all odor OF F!9lst',
aud tAu same luly, who had regarded hl1n -, ~
eompaaIel by List. With i deep, euohou!so;al,s
yoica she Epoke To him; said few wor'is " ~ y
about lIa playing, and more jet about NY ~
ject u hl4 Improvisation. Frclerfs ht.s
her, feeling moved and tlat.eEed, SURELY ans ~
hS,nS ~ if@ff I'm T,tat Al
that ho Is understood; and while word. @ luA%
sparklIng esprit aud lndcscrsbabc poesT IGnsa 'H.
IRON tho eloquent lips OF the lady, he le!t w.
self understood ~ hc had never teeo 9s!o,ii yu,it
This lady was tue then naost gelsosLwhxt gelsossteu '
son,atlccs, which appeared under thc nams n
"leorgc sand" werc ol course not stTanEIh *
him. When Chopin entered his 1wsll'ns 'ut n,
night, hc still beard With tho sp!stis eM '.t,
charming speech, he still saw With the s3'H1 Il.
si:hs Those flashing eyes oi licorgs sand. ~
wrote to hls parents about her, " na'e g, crick
tue scq,1aInta,lce Vi great aud important Ssst r
sity, Nine. puaeyant, who IL kuoxn ua1 y, nj
the pamc OF George Sand. But hcf !ass 10 ~ II
ali; Indeed, there u In it that rGpeti tar.
lsBut Chopin met the gcu!al lady aEaln. az ~
got lii her ATTRACTIVE talk, which almost "" ~
contained tho most delicate BATTERIES ~ e. I hIu
that shc waa pot handso4ie. ilsr XIV vs,ssop.s.
arlor-gave to herearuest and souie"nas1 '.a1a III
features ceEta!n tenderness, wh!eli iAaaS ine,t
beautiful; her lore 1aade her tl,liu, WING i,
ts shS Touched hls ieart. Ii 6rst f1edst: ;,s*r s
grateful to Tho genial lady for hrf lose as asSa
wards be loved hrr, II perhaps not 80 ssoapt,rslf
ateiy ~ she loYcd hu. yet deeply aaa
| A. ihts tlme he Withdrew !nofs Ilon' IL ha
| society, and lived most Of the t!'1e ca9 ivayt
muse ind to small csrce Of friends; ast Nv &
ca,ne stji mora 10, but ILLS naors tntina'e Il,
0ua1utanccs hu received always VIII "rbonIu
| 6c.t hulnor and With the genuine eA9'
amfablltty.