ral times prevailed upon to agree to a more
equitable settlement. But no sooner had he given a promise or signed
a contract than he revoked what he had done. According to one of these
agreements George Sand and her daughter were to have a yearly allowance
of 6,000 francs; according to another M. Dudevant was to have a yearly
allowance of 7,000 francs and leave Nohant and the remainder of the
revenues to his wife. The terms of the latter of these agreements were
finally accepted by both parties, but not till after more than a year's
quarrelling and three lawsuits. George Sand sued for a divorce, and the
Court of La Chatre gave judgment in her favour on February 16, 1836.
This judgment was confirmed after a second trial by the same Court on
May 11, 1836.

[Footnote: What George Sand calls her "matrimonial biography" can
be read in "Le Droit" ("Journal des Tribunaux") of May 18, 1836. The
account there given, no doubt inspired by her advocate if not directly
by herself, contains some interesting items, but leaves others
unmentioned. One would have liked to learn something more of the
husband's pleadings.

The proceedings began on October 30, 1835, when "Madame D----- a forme
centre son mari une demande en separation de corps. Cette demande etait
fondee sur les injures graves, sevices et mauvais traitements dont elle
se plaignait de la part de son mari."

The following is a passage from Michel of Bourges, her advocate's
defence: "Des 1824, la vie intime etait devenue difficile; les egards
auxquels toute femme a droit furent oublies, des actes d'emportement et
de violence revelerent de la part de M. D----- un caractere peu facile,
peu capable d'apprecier le devouement et la delicatesse qu'on lui avail
temoignes. Les mauvais traitements furent d'abord plus rares que les
mauvais precedes, ainsi les imputations d'imbecillite, de stupidite,
furent prodiguees a Madame D----- le droit de raisonner, de prendre
l'art a la conversation lui fut interdit... des relations avec d'autres
femmes furent connues de l'epouse,et vers le mois de Decembre, 1828,
toute cohabitation intime cessa.

"Les enfants eux-memes eurent quelque part dans les mauvais
traitements."]

M. Dudevant then appealed to the Court of Cassation at Bourges, where
the case was tried on July 25; but he withdrew his appeal before
judgment was given. The insinuations and revelations made in the course
of these lawsuits were anything but edifying. George Sand says that