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ment was the one secret romance of his life； which gave rise to a host of anecdotes and legends。 In the month of February； 1832； his publisher； Gosselin； forwarded a letter to him； signed L'Etrangere； 〃A Foreign Lady；〃 which caught his attention by the nobility of the thoughts expressed in it。 This first letter was followed by several others； and in one of them； dated November 7th； the 〃Foreign Lady〃 requested him to let her know of its safe arrival： 〃A line from you； published in La Quotidienne； will assure me that you have received my letter； and that I may write to you without fear。 Sign it； A L'E。 H。 de B。 （'To the Foreign Lady from H。 de B。'）。〃 The line requested appeared in La Quotidienne； in its issue of December 9th； and thus began a long and almost daily correspondence which was destined to last for seventeen years。
The 〃Foreign Lady〃 was a Polish woman of noble birth； Mme。 Hanska； who before her marriage was Countesse Eveline Rzewuska； who lived at her chateau of Wierzchownia； in Volhynia； with her husband； who possessed vast estates； and her daughter； Anna； who was still a child。 Mme。 Hanska had read the Scenes from Private Life； and she had been filled with enthusiasm for the author's talent and with a great hope of being able to exert an influence over his mind and to direct his ideas。
The mysterious nature of this strange correspondence pleased Balzac： he was able； in the course of it； to give free rein to his imagination； and at the same time to picture her to himself as a type of woman such as he had longed for through many years； endowing her with a beauty which represented all the virtues。 His first letters； although dignified and reserved； nevertheless revealed the fact that he was seeking for some woman in whom he could confide； and very soon he began to pour out his heart freely。 It is in this collection of letters； which extend from January； 1833； down to 1847； that we must search for the true details of his life； rather than in any of those collections of doubtful anecdotes； which show it only in the distorted form of caricature； and only too often have no foundation of truth。 Nevertheless it is necessary to read them with a certain amount of critical reservation； for he often shows himself in them in a false light； which probably seemed necessary to him； in order to carry out the diplomatic course which he had undertaken； and which terminated in his marriage。
From 1833 onward he was destined to lead a double life； the one before the eyes of the world； with its gesticulations； its eccentricities； its harlequinades； that left the lookers…on gaping with amazement； and the other his secret life； which he revealed only to Mme。 Hanska； day by day；his slave…like toil； his burden of debts which no amount of effort seemed to lighten； his prodigious hopes； and from time to time his desperate weariness。
After the publication of The Country Doctor the confused plan of his vast work took more definite form； the scattered parts began to fit together； and he foresaw the immense monument in which he was destined to embody an entire social epoch。
〃The day when he was first inspired with this idea was a wonderful day for him；〃 Mme。 Surville has recorded。 〃He set forth from the Rue Cassini； where he had taken up his residence after leaving the Rue de Tournon； and hurried to the Faubourg Poissoniere； where I was then living。
〃'Salute me；' he cried out joyously； 'for I am on the high road to become a genius！'
〃He then proceeded to unfold his plan to us； although it still rather frightened him。 In spite of the vastness of his brain； time alone would enable him to work out such a plan in detail！
〃'How splendid it will be if I succeed！' he said as he strode up and down the parlour； he was too excited to remain in one place and joy radiated from all his features。 'From now on they are welcome to call me Balzac the tale…smith！ I shall go on tranquilly squaring my stones and enjoying in advance the amazement of all those purblind critics when they finally discover the great structure that I am building！'〃
What vital force there was in all the characters of Balzac's novels； and how well entitled he was to boast that he was running in competition with the whole social structure！ He had not yet formulated his conception of the Human Comedy； but he was on the road to it when he planned to rearrange the volumes already published with others that he had in preparation； in a series of scenes in which the representative types of the different social classes should develop。 This was the first rough draft of his later great collected editions。 In order to carry out his plan； he had to break with his former publishers； pay back advance royalties； and defend law…suits。 His collective edition took the general title of Studies of the Manners and Customs of the Nineteenth Century； and was divided into Scenes of Private Life； Scenes of Provincial Life； and Scenes of Parisian Life。 He gave the rights of publication of this collective edition first to Madame the Widow Bechet and later to Edmond Werclet； in consideration of the sum of twenty…seven thousand francs。 This was the most advantageous contract that he had made up to this time； and he hoped that it would free him from all his debts； with the exception of what he owed his mother。 In addition to his previously published volumes； he included in this edition the following new works： Eugenie Grandet； The Illustrious Gaudissart； The Maranas； Ferragus； The Duchess of Langeais； The Girl with the Golden Eyes； The Search for the Absolute； The Marriage Contract； The Old Maid； and the first part of Lost Illusions。 But he did not include either The Chouans or his philosophic works。
Twenty…seven thousand francs was an enormous sum； without parallel save that paid to Chateaubriand for his collected works； but in Balzac's case the payment was made in the form of notes for long periods； and he was left without ready money。 In the midst of all his other labours he had to rack his brain in order to find some way of cashing these notes。 〃Finding that I had nothing to hope for from the bankers；〃 he wrote to Mme。 Hanska； 〃I remembered that I owed three hundred francs to my doctor； so I called upon him in order to settle my account with one of my bits of negotiable paper； and he gave me change amounting to seven hundred francs； minus the discount。 From there I made my way to my landlord； an old grain dealer in the Halle； and paid my rent with another of my notes； which he accepted； giving me back another seven hundred francs； minus the exchange； from him I went to my tailor； who； without demur； took over another of my thousand franc notes； entered it in his ledger； and paid me the whole thousand francs！
〃Seeing that I was in for a run of luck； I took a cab and drove to the home of a friend； who is a millionaire twice over； a friend of twenty years standing。 As it happened； he had just returned from Berlin。 I found him in； and at once he hurried to his desk； gave me two thousand francs； and relieved me of two more of the Widow Bechet's notes； without even looking at them。 Ha！ ha！I returned to my rooms and summoned my vendor of wood and my grocer； in order to settle my accounts； and； in place of a five hundred franc bank note； slipped each of them one of the widow's five hundred franc promissory notes！ By four o'clock I was free once more and ready to meet the next day's obligations。 My mind is at ease for a month to come。 I can seat myself once more in the fragile swing of my dreams and let my imagination keep me swinging。 Ecco； Signora！
〃My dear； faithful wife…to…be； did I not owe you this faithful picture of your future home life in Paris？ Yes； but here are five thousand francs squandered； out of the twenty…seven thousand； and before setting out for Geneva I still have ten thousand to pay： three thousand to my mother； one thousand to my sister； and six thousand in judgments and costs。'Good gracious； my dear man； where will you raise all that？' Out of my ink…well！〃 （Letter dated October 31； 1833。）
The tone of the correspondence had become more tender and confidential； mirroring back an intimate picture of a laborious existence； laden with anxieties；and the reason is that Balzac now knew his 〃Foreign Lady；〃 for he had met her at Neufchatel； whence he returned overflowing with enthusiasm。 From the date of the very first letters he had received his imagination had taken fire； and he had responded with an answering ardour to this woman who had so ingenuously laid bare her heart to him。 It was a romantic adventure upon which he set forth rejoicing。 He had sent to the fair unknown a lock of his hair； which he had allowed to remain for some time uncut； in order to send one as long as possible； he had presented her with a perfumed casket； destined to be the mysterious receptacle of his letters； a friend had drawn a sketch of his apartment in the Rue Cassini； so that she might see what a pleasant little den the toiler had； and lastly he inserted in a copy of The Country Doctor an aquarelle； in which he was portrayed in the somewhat exaggerated guise of his own Doctor Bernassis。 This was a sacrifice to which he consented for love's sake； because he had always refused to let anyone； even Gerard；