that when she comes to Paris he will take pleasure in showing to her
this intimate friend of Madame Carraud, this charming, intellectual
woman whom he has not seen since.

Balzac went to Madame Marbouty's home to read to her the first acts of
_L'Ecole des Menages_, which she liked; a few days later, he returned,
depressed because a great lady had told him it was _ennuyeux_, so she
tried to cheer him. _Souvenirs inedits_, dated February, 1839, left by
her, and a letter from her to Balzac dated March 12, 1840, in which
she asks him to give her a ticket to the first performance of his
play,[*] show that they were on excellent terms at this time. But
later a coolness arose, and in April, 1842, Madame Marbouty wrote _Une
fausse Position_. The personages in this novel are portraits, and
Balzac appears under the name of Ulric. This explains why the
dedication of _La Grenadiere_ was changed. Some writers seem to think
that Madame Marbouty suggested to Balzac _La Muse du Departement_, a
Berrichon bluestocking.

[*] The play referred to is doubtless _Vautrin_, played for the first
time March 14, 1840.


Among the women in the _Comedie humaine_ who have been identified with
women the novelist knew in the course of his life, Beatrix (Beatrix),
depicting the life of the Comtesse d'Agoult, is one of the most noted.
Balzac says of this famous character: "Yes, Beatrix is even too much
Madame d'Agoult. George Sand is at the height of felicity; she takes a
little vengeance on her friend. Except for a few variations, _the
story is true_."