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 pronunciation of various words, he was doubtless
referring to her sister Helene's Russian pronunciation 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
assuring 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.