Women in the Life of Balzac Part 11

"For fifty-two consecutive years (1834-1886) her salon was the rendezvous not merely of her compatriots but of intellectual Europe. The list of celebrities who thronged her modest drawing-room rivals that of Belgiojoso's Parisian salon, and includes many of the same immortal names. Daniel Stern, Balzac, Manzoni, Liszt, Verdi, and a score of others, are of international fame; but the annuals of Italian patriotism, belles-lettres and art teem with the names of men and women who, during that half century of uninterrupted hospitality, sought guidance, inspiration and intellectual entertainment among the politicians, poets, musicians and wits who congregated round the hostess."[*]

[*] W. R. Whitehouse, _A Revolutionary Princess_.

Balzac arrived in Milan in February, 1837, was well received, and was invited to the famous salon of Countess Maffei. The novelist was at once charmed with his hostess, whom he called _la pet.i.te Maffei_, and for whom he soon began to show a tender friends.h.i.+p which later became blended with affection.

Unfortunately Balzac did not like Milan; only the fascination of the Countess Maffei pleased him. He quarreled with the Princess San-Severino Porcia, who would not allow him to say anything unkind about Italy, and was depressed when calling on the Princess Bolognini, who laughed at him for it.

In the salon of the Countess Maffei the novelist preferred listening to talking; occasionally he would break out into sonorous laughter, and would then listen again, and--in spite of his excessive use of coffee--would fall asleep. The Countess was often embarra.s.sed by Balzac's disdainful expressions about people he did not like but who were her friends. She tried to please him, however and had many of her French-speaking friends to meet him, but he seemed most to enjoy tea with her alone. Referring to her age, he wrote in her alb.u.m: "At twenty-three years of age, all is in the future."

After Balzac's return to Paris he asked her, in response to one of her letters, to please ascertain why the Princess San-Severino was angry with him. Later he showed his appreciation of her kindness by sending her the corrected proofs of _Martyres ignores_, and by dedicating to her _La fausse Maitresse_, published in 1841. The dedication, however, did not appear until several months later.

In a long and beautiful dedication, Balzac inscribed _Les Employes_ to the Comtesse Serafina San-Severino, nee Porcia, and to her brother, Prince Alfonso Serafino di Porcia, he dedicated _Splendeurs et Miseres des Courtisanes_, concerning which he thought a great deal while visiting in the latter's home in Milan. The hotel having become intolerable to the novelist, he was invited by Prince Porcia to occupy a little room in his home, overlooking the gardens, where he could work at his ease. The Prince, a man of about Balzac's age, was very much in love with the Countess Bolognini, and was unwilling to marry at all unless he could marry her, but her husband was still living.

The Prince lived only ten doors from his Countess, and his happiness in seeing her so frequently, together with his riches, provoked gloomy meditations in the mind of the poor author, who was so far from his _Predilecta_, so overcome with debts, and forced to work so hard.

To Madame la Comtesse Bolognini, nee Vimercati, who was afterwards married to Prince Porcia, Balzac dedicated _Une Fille d'Eve_:

"If you remember, madame, the pleasure your conversation gave to a certain traveler, making Paris live for him in Milan, you will not be surprised that he should lay one of his works at your feet, as a token of grat.i.tude for so many delightful evenings spent in your society, nor that he should seek for it in the shelter of your name which, in old times, was given to not a few of the tales by one of your early writers, dear to the Milanese. You have a Eugenie, already beautiful, whose clever smile proclaims her to have inherited from you the most precious gifts a woman can possess, and whose childhood, it is certain, will be rich in all those joys which a sad mother refused to the Eugenie of these pages. If Frenchmen are accused of bring frivolous and inconstant, I, you see, am Italian in my faithfulness and attachments. How often, as I write the name of Eugenie, have my thoughts carried me back to the cool stuccoed drawing-room and little garden of the _Viccolo dei Capuccini_, which used to resound to the dear child's merry laughter, to our quarrels, and our stories. You have left the _Corso_ for the _Tre Monasteri_, where I know nothing of your manner of life, and I am forced to picture you, no longer amongst the pretty things, which doubtless still surround you, but like one of the beautiful heads of Raffaelle, t.i.tian, Correggio or Allori which, in their remoteness, seem to us like abstractions.

If this book succeeds in making its way across the Alps, it will prove to you the lively grat.i.tude and respectful friends.h.i.+p of your humble servant,

"DE BALZAC."

LA PRINCESSE BAGRATION--LA COMTESSE BOSSI--MADAME KISSELEFF --LA PRINCESSE DE SCHONBURG--MADAME JAROSLAS POTOCKA --LA BARONNE DE PFAFFINS--LA COMTESSE DELPHINE POTOCKA

Several women whom Balzac knew, but who apparently had no special influence over his life, are mentioned here; he evidently did not care enough for them or did not know them well enough to include their names in the dedicatory register of the _Comedie humaine_. This, however, by no means exhausts the list of his acquaintances among women. Many of them he had met through his intimacy with his "Polar Star"; he was indeed so popular that he once exclaimed to her that he was overwhelmed with Russian princesses and took to flight to avoid them.

The noted salon of the charming Princesse Bagration, wife of the Russian field-marshal, was open to the novelist early in his career.

With her aristocratic ease and the distinction of her manners, she had been one of the most brilliant stars at Vienna where her salon, as at Paris, was one of the most popular. Among her intimate friends was Madame Hamelin whom she had known during her stay in Vienna.

Notwithstanding Balzac's careless habits of dress, he was welcome in this salon, where the ladies enjoyed the stories which he told with such charm, and at which he was always the first to laugh, though told against himself.

As has been mentioned the Princess Bagration pa.s.sed at Paris for the model of Foedora. If M. Gabriel Ferry is correct, Balzac met the d.u.c.h.esse de Castries in the salon of the Princess Bagration before their correspondence began, but never talked to her and did not suppose that he had attracted her attention.

One of Balzac's acquaintances whom he met during his visit to Madame Hanska at Geneva was the Countess Bossi. He met her again at Milan in 1838, on his return from his journey to Corsica, but he was not favorably impressed with her, although he once deemed it wise to explain to his _Chatelaine_ his conduct relative to her.

Madame Kisseleff was one of Madame Hanska's friends whom he probably met in Vienna; he dined at her home frequently and enjoyed her company, for she could talk to him of his _Louloup_. She was a friend of Madame Hamelin, and moved to Fontainebleu to be near her while the latter was living at _La Madeleine_. While living in Paris, Madame Kisseleff entertained Madame Hamelin and several other ladies together with Balzac; these dinners and his _visites de digestion_ caused him to see much of her for awhile, but as in many of his other friends.h.i.+ps, his ardor cooled later, and he went to her home only when specially invited. In 1844, she left Paris to reside at Homburg where she built a house. The novelist took advantage of her friends.h.i.+p to send articles to Madame Hanska through the Russian amba.s.sador.

Balzac made _visites de politesse_ to the Princesse de Schonburg, an acquaintance of Madame Hanska's, but no more than were required by courtesy. It would have been convenient for him to have seen much of her, had he cared to, for she had placed her child in the same house with him on account of its vicinity to the orthopaedic hospital.

One of Madame Hanska's friends whom Balzac liked was Madame Jaroslas Potocka, sister of the Countess Schouwaloff. She wrote some very pleasing letters to him, but he was too busy to answer them, so he sent her messages, or enclosed notes to her in his letters to his _Predilecta_.

La Baronne de Pfaffins, nee Comtesse Mierzciewska, was a Polish lady whom Balzac met rather late in life. He first thought she was Madame Hanska's cousin, but later learned that it was to M. de Hanski that she was related. Her Polish voice reminded him so much of his _Louloup_ that he was moved to tears; this friends.h.i.+p, however, did not continue long.

Another acquaintance from the land of Balzac's "Polar Star" was Madame Delphine Potocka who was a great friend of Chopin, to whom he dedicated some of his happiest inspirations, and whose voice he so loved that he requested her to sing while he was dying. Her box at the opera was near Balzac's so that he saw her frequently, and dined with her, but did not admire her.

MARIA--HELENE--LOUISE

"To Maria:

"May your name, that of one whose portrait is the n.o.blest ornament of this work, lie on its opening page like a branch of sacred box, taken from an unknown tree, but sanctified by religion, and kept ever fresh and green by pious hand to protect the home.

"DE BALZAC."

Just who is the "Maria" to whom the dedication of _Eugenie Grandet_ is addressed is a question that in the opinion of the present writer has never been satisfactorily answered. The generally accepted answer is that of Spoelberch de Lovenjoul, who thought that "Maria" was the girl whom Balzac described as a "poor, simple and delightful _bourgeoise, . . . the most naive creature that ever was, fallen like a flower from heaven," and who said to Balzac: "Love me a year, and I will love you all my life."

Even admitting that this much disputed letter of October 12, 1833, was written by Balzac, though it does not bear his signature, the name "Maria" does not appear in it, so it is no proof that she is the woman to whom Balzac dedicated one of his greatest and probably the most popular of his works, _Eugenie Grandet_, although the heroine has some of the characteristics of the woman referred to in that letter in that she is a "naive, simple, and delightful _bourgeoise_." But in reviewing the women to whom Balzac dedicated his stories in the _Comedie humaine_, one does not find any of this type. Either they are members of his family, old family friends, literary friends, rich people to whom he was indebted, women of the n.o.bility, or women whom he loved for a time at least, and all were women whom he could respect and recognize in society, while the woman referred to in the letter of October 12, 1833, does not seem to have had this last qualification.

In reply to his sister Laure's criticism that there were too many millions in _Eugenie Grandet_, he insisted that the story was true, and that he could create nothing better than the truth. In investigating the truth of this story, it has been found that Jean Niveleau, a very rich man having many of the traits of Grandet, lived at Saumur, and that he had a beautiful daughter whom he is said to have refused to give in marriage to Balzac. Whether this be true or not, the novelist has screened some things of a personal nature in this work.

Although the book is dated September, 1833, he did not finish it until later. It was just at this time that he met Madame Hanska, and visited her on two different occasions during the period that he was working on _Eugenie Grandet_. As he was pressed for money, as usual, his _Predilecta_ offered to help him financially; this he refused, but immortalized the offer by having Eugenie give her gold to her lover.

In declining Madame Hanska's offer, he writes her:

"Beloved angel, be a thousand times blessed for your drop of water, for your offer; it is everything to me and yet it is nothing. You see what a thousand francs would be when ten thousand a month are needed. If I could find nine, I could find twelve. But I should have liked, in reading that delightful letter of yours, to have plunged my hand into the sea and drawn out all its pearls to strew them on your beautiful black hair. . . . There is a sublime scene (to my mind, and I am rewarded for having it) in _Eugenie Grandet_, who offers her fortune to her cousin. The cousin makes an answer; what I said to you on that subject was more graceful.

But to mingle a single word that I have said to my Eve in what others will read!--Ah! I would rather have flung _Eugenie Grandet_ into the fire! . . . Do not think there was the least pride, the least false delicacy in my refusal of what you know of, the drop of gold you have put angelically aside. . . ."

The novelist not only gave Madame Hanska the ma.n.u.script of _Eugenie Grandet_, but had her in mind while writing it: "One must love, my Eve, my dear one, to write the love of _Eugenie Grandet_, a pure, immense, proud love!"

The dedication of _Eugenie Grandet_ to "Marie" did not appear until in 1839. Balzac knew several persons named "Marie." The present writer was at one time inclined to think that this Marie might have been the Countess Marie Potocka, whom he met while writing _Eugenie_, but her cousin, the Princess Radziwill, says that she is sure she is not the one he had in mind, and that she was not the type of woman to whom Balzac would ever have dedicated a book. The novelist had dealings with Madame Marie Dorval, and in 1839, at the time the dedication was written, doubtless knew of her love for Jules Sandeau. Balzac knew also the Countess Marie d'Agoult, but she never would have inspired such a dedication.

Still another "Marie" with whom he was most intimate about 1839, is Madame Helene-Marie-Felicite de Valette, and it will be remembered that while she was usually called "Helene," "Marie" was Balzac's favorite name for her. But it is doubtful that he knew her when he wrote the book.

Yet Balzac's love was so fleeting that if he had had this "Maria" in mind in 1833 when he wrote _Eugenie_, he probably would have long since forgotten her by the time the dedication was made. It is a well known fact that Balzac dedicated many of his earlier books to friends that he did not meet until years later, and many dedications were not added until 1842.

"To Helene:

"The tiniest boat is not launched upon the sea without the protection of some living emblem or revered name, placed upon it by the mariners. In accordance with this time-honored custom, Madame, I pray you to be the protectress of this work now launched upon our literary ocean; and may the imperial name which the Church has canonized and your devotion has doubly sanctified for me guard it from peril.

"DE BALZAC."

The ident.i.ty of the enchantress who inspired this beautiful dedication of _Le Cure de Village_ has been the subject of much speculation for students of Balzac. The author of the _Comedie humaine_ knew the beautiful Helene Zavadovsky as early as 1835, and, as has been seen, knew Madame de Valette in 1836.

The Princess Radziwill states that this "Helene" was a sister of Madame Hanska, and that she died unmarried in 1842. She was much loved by all her family, and after the death of her mother in 1837 made her home with her sister Eve in Wierzchownia. The present author has found no mention of her in Balzac's letters in connection with _Le Cure de Village_, of which novel he speaks frequently, nor of his having known her personally, but since Balzac was continually twitting Madame Hanska about her p.r.o.nunciation of various words, he was doubtless referring to her sister Helene's Russian p.r.o.nunciation when he writes: "From time to time, I recall to mind all the gowns I have seen you wear from the white and yellow one that first day at Peterhof (Petergoff, _idiome_ Helene), . . ."

While Balzac evidently knew personally the women whom he had in mind in the dedications to "Maria" and to "Helene,"--problems which have perplexed students of Balzac,--he found time for correspondence with a lady whom he never saw, and about whom he knew nothing beyond the Christian name "Louise." The twenty-three letters addressed to her bear no precise dates, but were written in 1836-1837.

Her first letter was sent to Balzac through his bookseller, who saw her seal; but Balzac allayed, without gratifying, his curiosity by a.s.suring him that such letters came to him frequently. The writer was under the impression that Balzac's name was "Henry" and some of her correspondence was in English.

That he should have taken the time to write to this unknown correspondent shows that her letters must have possessed some intrinsic value for him, yet he refused to learn her ident.i.ty.

"Chance permitted me to know who you might be, and I refused to learn. I never did anything so chivalrous in my life; no, never! I consider it is grander than to risk one's life for an interview of ten minutes. Perhaps I may astonish you still more, when I say that I can learn all about you in any moment, any hour, and yet I refuse to learn, because you wish I should not know!"

In reply to a letter from Louise in which she complained that her time was monopolized by visits, he writes:

"Visits! Do they leave behind them any good for you? For the s.p.a.ce of twelve years, an angelic woman stole two hours each day from the world, from the claims of family, from all the entanglements and hindrances of Parisian life--two hours to spend them beside me --without any one else's being aware of the fact; for twelve years! Do you understand all that is contained in these words? I can not wish that this sublime devotedness which has been my salvation should be repeated. I desire that you should retain all your illusions about me without coming one step further; and I do not dare to wish that you should enter upon one of these glorious, secret, and above all, rare and exceptional relations.h.i.+ps.

Moreover, I have a few friends among women whom I trust--not more than two or three--but they are of an insatiable exigence, and if they were to discover that I corresponded with an _inconnue_, they would feel hurt."[*]