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mmittee。 Leon Gozlan； who served with him； acknowledged his influence。 〃Balzac；〃 he wrote； 〃brought to the Society a profound； almost diabolical knowledge of the chronic wretchedness of the profession； a rare and unequalled ability to deal with the aristocrats of the publishing world； an unconquerable desire to limit their depredations； which he had brooded over on the Mount Sinai of a long personal experience； and； above all else； an admirable conviction of the inherent dignity of the man of letters。〃
It was Balzac's ambition to form a sort of author's league； under the direction of 〃literary marshals；〃 of whom he should be the first； and including in its membership all the widely scattered men of letters； banded together in defense of their material and moral interests。 He himself set an example by requesting the support of the Society against a little sheet entitled Les Ecoles； which had libelled him in a cartoon in which he was represented in prison for debt； wearing his monkish robe and surrounded by gay company。 The cartoon bore the following legend： 〃The Reverend Father Seraphitus Mysticus Goriot； of the regular order of the Friars of Clichy； at last taken in by those who have so long been taken in by him。〃 This was in September； 1839； and on the 22d of the following October Balzac appeared as the representative of the Society of Men of Letters before the trial court of Rouen； in an action which it had begun against the Memorial de Rouen； for having reprinted certain published matter without permission。 But he did not limit himself to a struggle from day to day； to discussions in committee meetings； to appeals to the legislature；his ambition was to become himself the law…maker for the writers。 In May； 1840； two months after the disastrous failure of Vautrin； he offered to the consideration of the Society of Men of Letters a Literary Code； divided into titles； paragraphs； and articles； in which he laid down the principles from which to formulate practical rules for the protection of the interests of authors； and for the greater glory of French literature。
Having been appointed a member of the Committee of Official Relations； a committee which had been created at his suggestion for the purpose of seeing that men of letters should exercise a just influence over the government； Balzac drew up in 1841； some highly important Notes to be submitted to Messieurs the Deputies constituting the Committee on the Law of literary Property。 But that same year； after having worked upon a Manifesto which the Committee was to present to the ruling powers； he handed in his resignation from the Society； on the 5th of October； and it was found impossible to make him reconsider his decision。 It may be that he had received some slight which he could not forgive； or perhaps he had decided that it was to his interest to retain in his own name the right to authorise the republication of his works。
At this period he had attained that supremacy of which he had formerly dreamed in his humble mansarde chamber in the Rue Lesdiguieres； and he wished to have it crowned by some sort of official recognition。 He made up his mind to present himself for election to the Academie Francaise； in December； 1839； but withdrew in favour of the candidacy of Victor Hugo； notwithstanding that the latter begged him； in a dignified and gracious message； not to do so。
An intercourse which； without being especially cordial； was fairly frequent had been established between these two great writers as a result of their joint labours on the committee of the Society of Men of Letters。 During the month of July； 1839； Victor Hugo breakfasted with Balzac at Les Jardies； in company with Gozlan； for the purpose of discussing the great project of the Manifesto。 Gozlan； who formed the third member of this triangular party； has left the following delectable account of the interview：
〃Balzac was picturesquely clad in rags； his trousers； destitute of suspenders； parted company with his ample fancy waistcoat； his downtrodden shoes parted company with his trousers； his necktie formed a flaring bow； the points of which nearly reached his ears； and his beard showed a vigorous four days' growth。 As for Victor Hugo； he wore a gray hat of a very dubious shade； a faded blue coat with gilt buttons resembling a casserole in colour and shape； a much frayed black cravat； and； as a finishing touch； a pair of green spectacles that would have delighted the heart of the head clerk of a county sheriff； enemy of solar radiation！〃
They made the circuit of the property； and Victor Hugo remained politely cold before the dithyrambic praises which Balzac lavished on his garden。 He smiled only once； and that was at sight of a walnut tree； the only tree that the owner of Les Jardies had acquired from the community。
Victor Hugo had revealed to him the enormous profits that he drew from his dramatic writings； and it is easy to believe that Balzac's persistent efforts to have a play produced were due to the momentary glimpse of a steady stream of wealth that was thus flashed before his dazzled eyes。 After the catastrophe of Vautrin； he still pursued his dramatic ambitions with Pamela Giraud and Mercadet； but failed to find any theatre that would consent to produce them。 What was worse； the year 1840 was； beyond all others； a frightful one for Balzac。 He faced his creditors like a stag at bay； and all the while he found the burden of Les Jardies becoming constantly heavier。 The walls surrounding the property had slipped on their clay foundation and broken down； while Balzac himself had sustained a serious fall on the steep slopes of his garden； and had consequently lost more than a month's work。 Furthermore； he underwent imprisonment at Sevres for having refused to take his turn at standing guard over his neighbours' vineyards。
In his distress he thought seriously of expatriating himself and setting out for Brazil； and； before coming to a final decision； he awaited only the success or failure of a publishing venture such as he had already undertaken in vain。 In the month of July； 1840； he started the Revue Parisienne； of which he was the sole editor； and through which he proclaimed a dictatorial authority over the arts and letters； society and the government。 He had to abandon it after the third number。
Balzac remained in France； but he was obliged to quit Les Jardies。 His creditors looked upon this property as their legitimate prey； and neither ruse nor sacrifice could any longer keep it from them。 He first made a fictitious sale of it to his architect； and then a real one； on the advice of his lawyer。 It had cost him more than ninety thousand francs； and he got back only seventeen thousand five hundred。 But he had lived there through some beautiful dreams and great hopes。
Chapter 9。
In Retirement。
Upon leaving Les Jardies； Balzac took refuge in the village of Passy； at No。 19； Rue Basse； and there buried himself。 （Thanks to M。 de Royaumont； this building has become the Balzac Museum； similar to that of Victor Hugo at Paris； and of Goethe at Frankfort。） It was there that he meant to make his last effort and either perish or conquer destiny。 Under the name of M。 de Brugnol he had hired a small one…storey pavilion； situated in a garden and hidden from sight by the houses facing on the street。 His address was known only to trusted friends； and it was now more difficult than ever to discover him。 And his life as literary galley…slave was now burdened； in this solitude； with new and overwhelming tasks。
In the midst of the stormy tumult of money troubles and creative labour there was only one single gleam of calm and tender light。 In November； 1840； he formed the project of going to Russia； and promised himself the pleasure of joining the Comtesse de Hanska at St。 Petersburg for two long months。 This hope； which he clung to with all the strength of his ardent nature； was not to be realised until 1843； for his departure was delayed from day to day through his financial embarrassment and unfulfilled contracts with publishers。
Shutting himself into his writing den； a small narrow room with a low ceiling； he proceeded to finish The Village Cure and The Diaries of Two Young Brides； he began A Dark Affair for a journal called Le Commerce； The Two Brothers； later A Bachelor's Establishment； for La Presse； Les Lecamus； for Le Siecle； The Trials and Tribulations of an English Cat； for one of Hetzel's publications； Scenes from the Private and Public Life of Animals； he worked upon The Peasants and wrote Ursule Mirouet；altogether more than thirty thousand lines in the newspaper columns； in less than one year！
Meanwhile his business affairs； so entangled that he himself hardly knew where he stood； in spite of a portfolio bound in black in which he kept his promissory notes and every other variety of commercial paper；and which he called his Compte Melancoliques （his Melancholy Accounts）； adding that they were not to be regarded as a companion volume to his Contes Drolatiques （his Droll Tales）；began to assume some sort of order； thanks to the efforts of his lawyer； M。 Gavault； who had undertaken to wind them up。 Balzac remained as poor as ever； for he had to turn over to M。 Gavault all the money