with Madame Bechet as with Charles Gosselin. The publication, less
lucrative than she expected, of the first series of the _Scenes de la
Vie parisienne_ and the _Scenes de la Vie de Province_ made it
particularly disagreeable to her to receive the reproaches of a writer
who, with his admirable talent, could not become resigned to meet with
less success than other litterateurs not so good as he.

The termination of their business relations is recounted thus:
"_Illusions perdues_ appears this week. On the 17th I have a meeting
to close up all claims from Madame Bechet and Werdet. So there is one
cause of torment the less."

If M. Hughes Rebell is correct in his surmise, at least a part of
Werdet's admiration for the novelist was inspired by his wife, who had
become a great admirer of the works of the young writer, not well
known at that time. Madame Werdet persuaded her husband to speak to
Madame Bechet about Balzac, and to advise her to publish his works.
Her husband did so, but Madame Werdet did not stop at this. She
convinced him that he should leave Madame Bechet and become Balzac's
sole publisher; this he was for five years, and, moreover, served him
as his banker. M. Rebell thinks also that Madame Werdet is the
"delicious _bourgeoise_" referred to in Balzac's letter to Madame
Surville.


MADAME ROSSINI--MADAME RECAMIER--LA DUCHESSE DE DINO--LA COMTESSE
APPONY--MADAME DE BERNARD--MADAME DAVID--LA BARONNE GERARD

"You wish to know if I have met Foedora, if she is true? A woman
from cold Russia, the Princess Bagration, is supposed in Paris to