literary career was Madame Charles Bechet, of whom he said: "This
publisher is a woman, a widow whom I have never seen, and whom I do
not know. I shall not send off this letter until the signatures are
appended on both sides, so that my missive may carry you good news
about my interests; . . ."

Thus began a business relation which, like many of Balzac's financial
affairs, was to end unhappily. At first he liked her very much and
dined with her, meeting in her company such noted literary men as
Beranger, but as usual, he delayed completing his work, meanwhile
resorting, in mitigation of his offense, to tactics such as the
following words will indicate: ". . . a pretty watch given at the
right moment to Madame Bechet may win me a month's freedom. I am going
to overwhelm her with gifts to get peace."

Balzac often caused his publishers serious annoyance by re-writing his
stories frequently, but at the beginning of this business relation he
agreed with Madame Bechet about the cost of corrections. He says of
the fair publisher: "The widow Bechet has been sublime: she had taken
upon herself the expense of more than four thousand francs of
corrections, which were set down to me. Is this not still pleasanter?"

But this could not last long, for she became financially embarrassed
and then had to be very strict with him. She refused to advance any
money until his work was delivered to her and called upon him to pay
for the corrections. This he resented greatly:

"Madame Bechet has become singularly ill-natured and will hurt my
interests very much. In paying me, she charges me with corrections
which amount on the twelve volumes to three thousand francs, and