doors to me. The Duchess and he are both more than kind to me, in
every way, and the advantages of their society are great."

From Aix they went to Geneva. Just what happened here, we shall
probably never know. Suddenly abandoning the proposed trip, Balzac
writes his mother:

"It is advisable I should return to France for three months. . . .
Besides, my traveling companions will not be at Naples till
February. I shall, therefore, come back, but not to Paris; my
return will not be known to any one; and I shall start again for
Naples in February, via Marseilles and the steamer. I shall be
more at rest on the subjects of money and literary obligations."

Later he alludes thus to his sudden departure from Geneva:

"_Mon Dieu, Mon Dieu!_ God, in whom I believe, owed me some sweet
emotions at the sight of Geneva, for I left it disconsolate,
cursing everything, abhorring womankind! With what joy shall I
return to it, my celestial love, my Eva!"

Thus was ended an ardent friendship of about eight months' duration,
for instead of rejoining the Duchesse de Castries in Italy Balzac's
first visit to that country was made many years later, and then in the
delightful company of his "Polar Star."

In speaking of this sudden breach, Miss M. F. Sandars says:

"We can only conjecture the cause of the final rupture, as no
satisfactory explanation is forthcoming. The original 'Confession'