Helene； even without putting her hands on it； can draw from it magnificent harmony； Helene is mad。 All this may seem very incomprehensible to you； and I must confess that it is so to me。 Albertus himself declares： 〃This has a poetical sense of a very high order perhaps； but it seems vague to me。〃 Personally； I am of the same opinion as Albertus。 With a little effort； I might； like any one else； be able to give you an interpretation of this logogriph； which might appear to have something in it。 I prefer telling you frankly that I do not understand it。 The author； perhaps； did not understand it much better so that it may have been metaphysics。
I would call your attention； though； to that picture of Helene； with the magic lyre in her hand； risking her life； by climbing to the spire of the steeple and uttering her inspiring speech from there。 Is not this something like Solness； the builder； from the top of his tower？ Like Tolstoi； Ibsen had evidently read George Sand and had not forgotten her。
_Spiridion_ introduces us into a strange convent； in which we see the portraits come out of their frames and roam about the cloisters。 The founder of the convent； Hebronius； lives again in the person of Father Alexis； who is no other than Leroux。
In _Consuelo_ we have the same imagination。 We have already considered the first part of this novel； that which takes place at Venice； in the schools of music and in the theatres of song。 Who would have thought that the charming diva； the pupil of Porpora； was to have such strange adventures？ She arrives in Bohemia； at the Chateau of Rudolstadt。 She has been warned that extraordinary things take place there。 Comte Albert de Rudolstadt is subject to nervous fits and to great lethargy。 He disappears from the chateau and then reappears； without any one seeing him go in or out。 He believes that he has been Jean Ziska； and this is probably true。 He has been present at events which took place three hundred years previously； and he describes them。 Consuelo discovers Albert's retreat。 It is a cavern hollowed out of a mountain in the vicinity； which communicates； by means of a well； with his rooms。 The Chateau of Rudolstadt is built on the same architectural plan as Anne Radcliffe's chateau。 After staying for some time in this bewildering place； Consuelo sets forth once more。 She now meets Haydn； goes through the Bohmer Wald with him； arrives in Venice； is introduced to Maria Theresa； and is engaged at the Imperial Theatre。 She is now recalled to the Chateau of Rudolstadt。 Albert is on his deathbed； and he marries her _in extremis_； after telling her that he is going to leave her for a time； but that he shall return to her on earth by a new birth。 He； too； had evidently read Pierre Leroux； and it was perhaps that which had caused his illness。
_Consuelo_ is a novel of adventures after the style of _Gil Blas_； the _Vie de Marianne_； and _Wilkelm Meister_。 It is a historical novel； for which we have Joseph Haydn； Maria Theresa； Baron Trenk； and the whole history of the Hussites。 It is a fantastical story with digressions on music and on popular songs； but running through it all； with the persistency of a fixed idea； are divagations on the subject of earthly metempsychosis。 Such； then； is this incongruous story； odd and exaggerated； but with gleams of light and of great beauty； the reading of which is apt to leave one weary and disturbed。
We meet with Consuelo again in another book。 In those days； it was not enough for a novel to consist of several volumes。 People liked a sequel also。 _Vingt ans apres_ was the sequel to _Trois Mousquetaires_； and the _Vicomte de Bragelonne_ was a sequel to that sequel。 Our grandparents were capable of allowing themselves to be bored to a degree which makes us ashamed of our frivolity。 The _Comtesse de Rudolstadt_ was the sequel to _Consuelo_。 As time went on； Pierre Leroux called George Sand's attention to the study of freemasonry。 In 1843； she declared that she was plunged in it； and that it was a gulf of nonsense and uncertainties； in which 〃she was dabbling courageously。〃
〃I am up to my ears in freemasonry；〃 she writes。 〃I cannot get away from the kaddosh； the Rose Croix and the Sublime Scotchman。 The result of all this will be a mysterious novel。〃 The mysterious novel was the _Comtesse de Rudolstadt_。 Consuelo； who through her marriage with Albert is now Comtesse de Rudolstadt； continues her European tour。 She reaches Berlin； and we find her at the Court of Frederick II。 We now have Voltaire； La Mettrie； the Sans…Souci suppers； Cagliostro； Saint…Germain and the occult sciences。 Frederick II sends Consuelo to prison。 There appears to be no reason for this； unless it be that in order to escape she must first have been imprisoned。 Some mysterious rescuers take a great interest in Consuelo； and transport her to a strange dwelling； where she has a whole series of surprises。 It is； in fact； a sort of Palace of Illusions。 She is first in a dark room； and she then finds herself suddenly in a room of dazzling light。 〃At the far end of this room； the whole aspect of which is very forbidding； she distinguishes seven personages； wrapped in red cloaks and wearing masks of such livid whiteness that they looked like corpses。 They were all seated behind a table of black marble。 Just in front of the table； and on a lower seat； was an eighth spectre。 He was dressed in black； and he； too； wore a white mask。 By the wall； on each side of the room； were about twenty men in black cloaks and masks。 There was the most profound silence。 Consuelo turned round and saw that there were also black phantoms behind her。 At each door there were two of them standing up； each holding a huge； bright sword。〃＇37＇
＇37＇ _Comtesse de Rudolstadt。_
She wondered whether she had reached the infernal regions； but she discovered that she was in the midst of a secret society； styled the Invisibles。 Consuelo is to go through all the various stages of the initiation。 She first puts on the bridal dress； and after this the widow's weeds。 She undergoes all the various trials； and has to witness the different spectacles provided for her edification； including coffins； funeral palls； spectres and simulated tortures。 The description of all the various ceremonies takes up about half of the book。 George Sand's object was to show up this movement of secret societies； which was such a feature of the eighteenth century； and which was directed both against monarchical power and against the Church。 It contributed to prepare the way for the Revolution； and gave to this that international character and that mystic allure which would otherwise have been incomprehensible。
From _Spiridion_ to the _Comtesse de Rudolstadt_； then； we have this series of fantastical novels with ghosts； subterranean passages； secret hiding…places；
hallucinations and apparitions。 The unfortunate part is that at present we scarcely know to what category of readers they would appeal。 As regards grown…up people； we all prefer something with a vestige of truth in it now…a…days。 As to our children； they would prefer _Monte…Cristo_ to _Consuelo_； and _Tom Thumb_ to _Spiridion_。 At the time that they were written； in spite of the fact that Buloz protested against all this philosophy； these novels were quite in accordance with the public taste。 A mania for anything fantastic had taken possession of the most serious people。 Ballanche wrote his _La Palingenesie_； and Edgar Quinet _Ahasverus_。 Things took place through the ages； and the reader travelled through the immensity of the centuries； just as though Wells had already invented his machine for exploring time。 In a country like France； where clear…mindedness and matter…of…fact intelligence are appreciated； all this seems surprising。 It was no doubt the result of infiltrations which had come from abroad。 There was something wrong with us just then； 〃something rotten in the kingdom of France。〃 We see this by that fever of socialistic doctrines which burst forth among us about the year 1840。 We have the _Phalanstere_ by Fourier； _La Phalange_ by Considerant； the _Icarie_ by Cabet； and his famous _Voyage_； which appeared that very year。 We were always to be devoured by the State； accompanied by whatever sauce we preferred。 The State was always to find us shelter； to dress us； to govern us and to tyrannize over us。 There was the State as employer； the State as general storekeeper； the State to feed us； all this was a dream of bliss。 Buonarotti； formerly Babeuf's accomplice； preached Communism。 Louis Blanc published his _Organisation du travail_； in which he calls to his aid a political revolution； foretaste of a social revolution。 Proudhon published his _Memoire sur la propriete_； containing the celebrated phrase： 〃Property means theft。〃 He declared himself an anarchist； and as a matter of fact anarchy was already everywhere。 A fresh evil had suddenly made its appearance； and； by a cruel irony； it was the logical consequence of that industrial development of which the century was so proud。 The result of all that wealth had been to create a new form of misery； an envious； jealous form of misery； much more cruel than