he placed himself in a corner with some Russians and Poles. But
their names are so difficult to pronounce that he cannot tell you
anything about them, further than that one was a very ugly lady,
friend of Madame Hahn, and a Countess Schouwalof, sister of Madame
Jeroslas. . . . Is that right? The _moujik_ will go there every
two weeks, if his lady permits him."

The novelist met many prominent people at these receptions, among them
Prince Esterhazy; he went to the beautiful soirees of Madame Appony
while refusing to go elsewhere, even to the opera.


Several women Balzac probably met through his intimacy with their
husbands. Among these were Madame de Bernard, whose name was
Clementine, but whom he called "Mentine" and "La Fosseuse," this
character being the frail nervous young girl in _Le Medecin de
Campagne_. In August, 1831, M. Charles de Bernard wrote a very
favorable article about _La Peau de Chagrin_ in the _Gazette de
Franche-Comte_, which he was editing at that time. This naturally
pleased the novelist; their friendship continued through many years,
and in 1844, Balzac dedicated to him _Sarrazine_, written in 1830.

Early in his literary career Balzac knew Baron Gerard, and in writing
to the painter, sent greetings to Madame Gerard. Much later in life,
while posing for his bust, made by David d'Angers, he saw Madame David
frequently, and learned to like her. He felt flattered that she
thought he looked so much younger than he really was. On his return
from St. Petersburg, in 1843, he brought her a pound of Russian tea,
which, as he explained, had no other merit than the exceeding
difficulties it had encountered in passing through twenty