She has given a beautiful pen portrait of the youthful Balzac in which
she describes minutely his appearance, noting his beautiful hands, his
intelligent forehead and his expressive golden brown eyes. There was
something in his manner of speaking, in his gestures, in his general
appearance, so much goodness, confidence, naivete and frankness that
it was impossible to know him without loving him, and his exuberant
good nature was infectious. In spite of his misfortunes, he had not
been in their company a quarter of an hour, and they had not even
shown him to his room, before he had brought the general and herself
to tears with laughter.

"On some evenings he remained in the drawing-room in company with
his hosts, and entered into controversies with Madame de
Pommereul, who, being very pious herself, tried to persuade him to
make a practice of religion; while Balzac, in return, when the
discussion was exhausted, endeavored to teach her the rules of
backgammon. But the one remained unconverted and the other never
mastered the course of the noble game. Occasionally he helped to
pass the time by inventing stories, which he told with all the
vividness of which he was master."

A few months after this prolonged visit, Balzac wrote to General de
Pommereul, expressing his deep appreciation of their hospitality, and
in speaking of the book which he had just written, hoped that Madame
de Pommereul would laugh at some details about the butter, the
weddings, the stiles, and the difficulties of going to the ball, etc.,
which he had inserted in his work,--if she could read it without
falling asleep.

Balzac made perhaps his most prolonged visits in the home of another