nnocent. The husband
was justly suspicious, and a voluntary separation took place, he
retaining all her property in exchange for her liberty, which he gave
her, and she set out for Bordeaux. She recounts a part of her subsequent
history in "_Indiana_." She found her lover in Bordeaux, but he had
changed, and was on the eve of marriage, and she went to Paris. She
returned to the same convent where she had spent a part of her youth, to
weep over her lot. She soon left the convent for an attic in the Quai
St. Michel, where Jules Sandeau, the law-student, soon discovered her.
She was in very destitute circumstances, and Sandeau was also very poor.
She knew a little of painting, and obtained orders of a toyman to paint
the upper part of stands for candlesticks, and the covers of
snuff-boxes. This was fatiguing but not remunerative, and they wrote to
the editor of the _Figaro_ newspaper. He replied, and invited them to
visit him at his home, where he received them with kindness. When Aurore
spoke of her snuff-boxes, he laughed heartily; "but," said he to
Sandeau, "why do not you become a journalist? It is less difficult than
You think."

Sandeau replied, "I am too slow for a journalist."

"Good!" replied Aurore; "but I will help you!"

"Very good!" replied the editor; "but work, and bring me your articles
as soon as you can."

Madame Dudevant laid aside her pencil and took up the pen--not to lay it
down again. She commenced a series of articles which puzzled the
Parisian press. The editor liked them, but desired that she should try
her hand at romance. In about six weeks Madame Dudevant and Jules
Sandeau had completed a volume entitled "_Rose and Blanche, or the
Comedian and the Nun_;" but they could find no publisher. The editor
came to their aid, and persuaded an old bookseller to give them four
hundred francs for the manuscript. When the book was to be published,
they deliberated upon the name of the author. _She_ disliked the scandal
of authorship--_he_ feared his father's curse; and the editor advised
that the name of the law-student should be divided, and no friend would
recognize the name. So the story came out as written by Jules Sand.

The young people thought their fortunes made--that the four hundred
francs were inexhaustible. Madame Dudevant now adopted a man's costume
for the first time, that she might go to the theater with advantage--at
least this was her excuse. The young couple visited the theater at
ni