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of meeting his financial troubles。 But the hard reality shattered them； one by one； like thin glass。 He was a prey to the money…lenders and the lawyers； who had no mercy upon a poor wretch who had failed to 〃make good；〃 and accomplish his ruin with mathematical indifference。 The sheriffs； the attorneys； the usurers； the intrusive hordes of clerks and process…servers swooped down upon the printing house and the printer； eager to share the spoils。 Honore de Balzac； alone in his 〃horrible struggle；〃 stood at bay against the pack； using all the stratagems that he had learned in long years of conflict to throw them off the track and save his last remaining resources。 He put forth all his accumulated cleverness； his fertile spirit of invention； yet he finally had to yield to superior numbers； and witness the rapid and steady disintegration of a business on which he had staked so many hopes。
But a new opportunity presented itself； his imagination caught fire； and he foresaw a fortune； an assured fortune which nothing could take from him；and once again he laughed his deep； sonorous； powerful laugh； defying destiny。 In September； 1827； a type foundry was offered for sale； after having failed； and Balzac； in conjunction with Barbier and the assignee Laurent； bought it for the sum of thirty…six thousand francs。 Mme。 de Berny； with her inalienable devotion； joined with him in the new venture； contributing nine thousand francs as her share。 The business of the foundry had hitherto been limited to the production of fonts of type； but it was the ambition of the partners to extend its scope to engraving on steel； copper and wood； and to a special method of stereotyping invented by Pierre Duronchail； to which they had acquired the rights。 A catalogue reproducing the various forms of type which the foundry could furnish； as well as vignettes； head and tail pieces and typographical ornaments； was widely circulated； yet the world at large failed to perceive the advantages offered by the rejuvenated and improved house of Gille Fils。 After a three months' trial； Barbier withdrew from the partnership formed for the exploitation of the foundry； and on April 3； 1828； a new association was formed between Laurent and Balzac； in which Mme。 de Berny's name also figured； but only as a silent partner。 But every effort was in vain； nothing could avert disaster。 On the 16th of April； 1828； the partnership of Laurent and Balzac was dissolved； the former remaining as assignee。
Balzac was dismayed。 The menace of insolvency closed the horizon of all his hopes。 He had wished to triumph without the aid of his family； to demonstrate that he could carry on a business and achieve a fortune。 Yet now he was obliged to call his family to his assistance； to cry out for succour。 The situation was desperate； and it was necessary to act quickly； wisely and energetically； for the family honour was at stake。 Mme。 de Balzac； who until now had shown herself a suspicious and dissatisfied mother； sacrificed herself in the presence of imminent disaster； she offered up all her private fortune to satisfy the creditors。 At her request； one of her cousins； M。 Sedillot； undertook the settlement of the unfortunate business difficulties of her son； Honore； and； being a prudent and experienced business man； he was able to limit the extent of the disaster。 Barbier bought back the printing house for sixty…seven thousand francs； and Mme。 de Berny put her son； Alexandre； in charge of the foundry； in place of Balzac。 The liabilities amounted to 113；081 francs； of which 37；600 had been advanced by Mme。 de Balzac while the only assets were the 67；000 francs resulting from the sale of the printing house。 Among the debts recorded in the settlement there are some which prove that at this time Balzac had already acquired a taste for luxury； he owed Thouvenin； book…binder to the Duc d'Orleans； 175 francs for binding a Lafontaine； a Boileau； and a Thousand and One Nights； while the long unsettled bill of his shoemaker amounted to no less than three hundred francs！
The intervention of his mother and the sacrifices that she consented to make saved him from inevitable failure； but he had to endure an avalanche of reproaches。 At the age of twenty…nine he withdrew from business； with debts amounting to ninety thousand francs； and how could he； rebellious son that he was； ever hope to clear himself； when he might by this time have been a prosperous notary； well on the road towards honours； if he had only listened to the wise counsel of his parents？ His father； Francois Balzac； had learned of the disaster； in spite of all the precautions taken to keep him in ignorance； and he addressed a letter； very noble in tone； to M。 Sedillot； thanking him for having saved the family name from dishonour。 We get an echo of the recriminations which must have arisen within the family circle from the firm yet bitter reply that Balzac made to his sister Laure：
〃Your letter has given me two detestable days and two detestable nights。 I brooded over my justification； point by point； like Mirabeau's Memoire to his father； and I was already fired with zeal for the task； but I have decided not to write it。 I cannot spare the time； my dear sister； and besides I do not feel that I have been at all in the wrong。〃 And in the same letter he said further； with calm pride： 〃I must live； my dear sister； without asking anything of anybody； I must live in order to work and pay back every one to whom I am in debt。〃
Yes； he was nearly twenty…nine years old； his debts amounted to ninety thousand francs； and he was alone and without resources；but although it was a heavy burden he did not consider that it was too heavy for his shoulders。 He had debts； but he meant to pay them； by means of his pen and his genius； and so we shall see him undertaking the most formidable task that ever human brain produced；and that was destined to cease only at his death。
Chapter 5。
The First Success。
Misfortune； far from discouraging Balzac； strengthened all his powers of resistance and exalted his will and his energy。 He had a healthy and strongly optimistic nature； upon which chagrins； reverses and sorrows acted like so many stimulants； he was never so resolute as after a defeat。 M。 Sedillot had barely begun the liquidation of his business affairs； the printing house and foundry； when he gave himself up passionately and exclusively to his literary work； apparently having forgotten all his troubles； save the necessity of paying his debts。 He had a habit of prompt decisions and quick action。 Eager to break at once all the remaining fetters that bound him to his assignee； he wrote to the General Baron de Pommereul； at Fougeres：
〃For the past month I have been busy over some historical researches of great interest； and I hope that in the absence of talent； which in my case is altogether problematic； our national manners and customs may perhaps bring me good luck。 I have realised that； no matter how industrious I am； my efforts will not bring me in anything like a living wage before the first of next January； and meanwhile the purest chance has brought to my attention a historic incident of 1798 relating to the war of the Chouans and the Vendeans； which gives me a subject that is very easy to handle。 It requires no research； except in regard to the localities。
〃My first thought was of you； and I decided to ask you to grant me an asylum for a matter of twenty days。 My muse； her trumpet； a quire of paper and myself will surely not be greatly in your way。〃 （Balzac in Brittany； published letter by R。 du Pontavice de Heussy。）
The general's father had been a friend of Francois Balzac； who had rendered him some financial service； accordingly the son hastened to reply to Honore that his house was open to him。 No sooner was the letter received than the latter set forth； such was his haste to leave Paris； collect the material for his story； and find the necessary tranquillity for writing it。 He left Paris without change of linen and with his toilet all in disorder； intoxicated with his sense of liberty； 〃to such an extent；〃 writes M。 de Pontavice； 〃that he presented himself to his provincial friends wearing such a piteous hat that they found it necessary to conduct him forthwith to the only hatter in Fougeres。 That honourable tradesman went to infinite pains before he succeeded in discovering any headwear large enough to shelter the bony casket which contained the Human Comedy。〃
Honore de Balzac was exuberant with joy。 He took his hosts by storm through his wit and good humour。 He questioned M。 de Pommereul as to the main facts about the Chouans； he jotted down in his notebook； which he afterwards came to call his larder； a host of original anecdotes preserved by oral tradition； and he roamed the whole countryside； fixing in his mind the landscapes and the gestures； attitudes and physiognomies of the peasants； and saturating himself with the atmosphere of the region in which he was to place the chief scenes of his drama。
Those were happy hours during which Honore de Balzac withdrew to his first…floor room； seated himself before a little table placed close to the window； and wrote with feverish elation of the heroic acts of the Blues and the Chouan