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thousand subscribers； and Bianchon； already chief physician to a
hospital； Officer of the Legion of Honor； and member of the Academy of
Sciences； had just been made a professor。
If it were not that the word would to many readers seem to imply a
degree of blame； it might be said that George Sand created /Sandism/；
so true is it that； morally speaking； all good has a reverse of evil。
This leprosy of sentimentality would have been charming。 Still；
/Sandism/ has its good side； in that the woman attacked by it bases
her assumption of superiority on feelings scorned； she is a blue…
stocking of sentiment； and she is rather less of a bore； love to some
extent neutralizing literature。 The most conspicuous result of George
Sand's celebrity was to elicit the fact that France has a perfectly
enormous number of superior women； who have； however； till now been so
generous as to leave the field to the Marechal de Saxe's
granddaughter。
The Superior Woman of Sancerre lived at La Baudraye； a town…house and
country…house in one； within ten minutes of the town； and in the
village； or； if you will； the suburb of Saint…Satur。 The La Baudrayes
of the present day have； as is frequently the case； thrust themselves
in； and are but a substitute for those La Baudrayes whose name；
glorious in the Crusades； figured in the chief events of the history
of Le Berry。
The story must be told。
In the time of Louis XIV。 a certain sheriff named Milaud； whose
forefathers had been furious Calvinists； was converted at the time of
the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes。 To encourage this movement in
one of the strong…holds of Calvinism； the King gave said Milaud a good
appointment in the 〃Waters and Forests；〃 granted him arms and the
title of Sire （or Lord） de la Baudraye； with the fief of the old and
genuine La Baudrayes。 The descendants of the famous Captain la
Baudraye fell； sad to say； into one of the snares laid for heretics by
the new decrees； and were hangedan unworthy deed of the great
King's。
Under Louis XV。 Milaud de la Baudraye； from being a mere squire； was
made Chevalier； and had influence enough to obtain for his son a
cornet's commission in the Musketeers。 This officer perished at
Fontenoy； leaving a child； to whom King Louis XVI。 subsequently
granted the privileges； by patent； of a farmer…general； in remembrance
of his father's death on the field of battle。
This financier； a fashionable wit； great at charades； capping verses；
and posies to Chlora； lived in society； was a hanger…on to the Duc de
Nivernais； and fancied himself obliged to follow the nobility into
exile； but he took care to carry his money with him。 Thus the rich
/emigre/ was able to assist more than one family of high rank。
In 1800； tired of hoping； and perhaps tired of lending； he returned to
Sancerre； bought back La Baudraye out of a feeling of vanity and
imaginary pride； quite intelligible in a sheriff's grandson； though
under the consulate his prospects were but slender； all the more so；
indeed； because the ex…farmer…general had small hopes of his heir's
perpetuating the new race of La Baudraye。
Jean Athanase Polydore Milaud de la Baudraye； his only son； more than
delicate from his birth； was very evidently the child of a man whose
constitution had early been exhausted by the excesses in which rich
men indulge； who then marry at the first stage of premature old age；
and thus bring degeneracy into the highest circles of society。 During
the years of the emigration Madame de la Baudraye； a girl of no
fortune； chosen for her noble birth； had patiently reared this sallow；
sickly boy； for whom she had the devoted love mothers feel for such
changeling creatures。 Her deathshe was a Casteran de la Tour
contributed to bring about Monsieur de la Baudraye's return to France。
This Lucullus of the Milauds； when he died； left his son the fief；
stripped indeed of its fines and dues； but graced with weathercocks
bearing his coat…of…arms； a thousand louis…d'orin 1802 a
considerable sum of moneyand certain receipts for claims on very
distinguished /emigres/ enclosed in a pocketbook full of verses； with
this inscription on the wrapper； /Vanitas vanitatum et omnia vanitas/。
Young La Baudraye did not die； but he owed his life to habits of
monastic strictness； to the economy of action which Fontenelle
preached as the religion of the invalid； and； above all； to the air of
Sancerre and the influence of its fine elevation； whence a panorama
over the valley of the Loire may be seen extending for forty leagues。
From 1802 to 1815 young La Baudraye added several plots to his
vineyards； and devoted himself to the culture of the vine。 The
Restoration seemed to him at first so insecure that he dared not go to
Paris to claim his debts； but after Napoleon's death he tried to turn
his father's collection of autographs into money； though not
understanding the deep philosophy which had thus mixed up I O U's and
copies of verses。 But the winegrower lost so much time in impressing
his identity on the Duke of Navarreins 〃and others；〃 as he phrased it；
that he came back to Sancerre； to his beloved vintage； without having
obtained anything but offers of service。
The Restoration had raised the nobility to such a degree of lustre as
made La Baudraye wish to justify his ambitions by having an heir。 This
happy result of matrimony he considered doubtful； or he would not so
long have postponed the step； however； finding himself still above
ground in 1823； at the age of forty…three； a length of years which no
doctor； astrologer； or midwife would have dared to promise him； he
hoped to earn the reward of his sober life。 And yet his choice showed
such a lack of prudence in regard to his frail constitution； that the
malicious wit of a country town could not help thinking it must be the
result of some deep calculation。
Just at this time His Eminence； Monseigneur the Archbishop of Bourges；
had converted to the Catholic faith a young person； the daughter of
one of the citizen families； who were the first upholders of
Calvinism； and who； thanks to their obscurity or to some compromise
with Heaven； had escaped from the persecutions under Louis XIV。 The
Piedefersa name that was obviously one of the quaint nicknames
assumed by the champions of the Reformationhad set up as highly
respectable cloth merchants。 But in the reign of Louis XVI。； Abraham
Piedefer fell into difficulties； and at his death in 1786 left his two
children in extreme poverty。 One of them； Tobie Piedefer； went out to
the Indies； leaving the pittance they had inherited to his elder
brother。 During the Revolution Moise Piedefer bought up the
nationalized land； pulled down abbeys and churches with all the zeal
of his ancestors； oddly enough； and married a Catholic； the only
daughter of a member of the Convention who had perished on the
scaffold。 This ambitious Piedefer died in 1819； leaving a little girl
of remarkable beauty。 This child； brought up in the Calvinist faith；
was named Dinah； in accordance with the custom in use among the sect；
of taking their Christian names from the Bible； so as to have nothing
in common with the Saints of the Roman Churc