possession of the Vicomte de Spoelberch de Lovenjoul. The present
Confession was substituted in its place, because the first revealed
too much of Balzac's private life. However, even in the original
Confession, we learn no reason for Madame de Castries' sudden resolve
to dismiss her adorer, as Balzac declares with indignant despair that
he can give no explanation of it. Apparently she parted from him one
evening with her usual warmth of affection, and next morning
everything was changed, and she treated him with the utmost coldness.

Madame de Castries, with her brother-in-law, the Duc de Fitz-James and
his family, had settled to leave Aix on October 10th, and to travel in
Italy, visiting Rome and Naples; and they had been anxious that Balzac
should be one of the party. At first Balzac only spoke of this
vaguely, because of the question of money; but as pecuniary matters
were never allowed to interfere with anything he really wanted to do,
his mother cannot have been surprised to receive a letter written on
September 23rd, telling her that the matter was settled, and that he
was going to Italy.[*] As she would naturally ask how this was to be
managed, he explains that he will put off paying a debt of 500 francs,
and that, being only responsible for a fourth share in the hire of
Madame de Castries' carriage, this money would suffice for his
expenses as far as Rome. There he will require 500 francs, and the
same amount again at Naples; but this money will be gained by the
"Medecin de Campagne," and he will only ask Madame de Balzac for 500
francs--without which he will perhaps, after all, manage--to bring him
back from Naples in March. On September 30th he writes to M. Mame, the
publisher, to tell him about the nearly-finished "Medecin de
Campagne," and still talks of his projected journey; but on October
9th, as a result of Madame de Castries' behaviour towards him, he has
left her at Aix, and is himself at Annecy, and on October 16th he has