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aris； he wrote to Lazard； ordering some Chinese Horns…of…plenty and some 〃very fine bookcases ten metres long by three high； richly ornamented or richly carved。〃 And； not content with giving these instructions to the dealer； he wrote to Mery； who had entertained him at Marseilles； explaining what he wanted from Lazard； and giving the following excellent lesson in the art of bargaining：
〃While you are jollying the worthy Lazard； do me the favour of sending from time to time some of your friends to bargain for the two objects in question； and have them always make an offer； some of fifty； others of a hundred； others of twenty…five francs less than yours。 After a fortnight of this manoeuvring； some fine morning Lazard will let you have them。〃
And Balzac added a postscript to this little lesson in the fine art of bargaining： 〃Never become a collector； for if you do you give yourself into the keeping of a demon as exacting and jealous as the demon of gambling。〃 But while warning his friends against his own ruling passion he surrendered himself to it with passionate delight。 During his leisure hours he wandered at random through Paris； like a hunter on the trail of his quarry；through Paris which he knew down to the remotest of its back alleys and which he loved even in its slums。 When he ran across some rare and precious piece； or something that merely appealed to his individual taste； he derived an intense joy out of employing all his trickery； his readiness of speech； his persuasive powers； to beat down the price of the coveted object。 It was a battle in which he chose to come out conqueror。 It pleased him to be recognised as a man with the business instinct； and he threw out his chest when he repeated the remark of his publisher； Souverain； 〃M。 de Balzac is better at figures than Rothschild！〃
In 1846； during a new trip to Italy with Mme。 Hanska； her daughter Anna and the latter's husband； Count Georges Mniszech； he ransacked all Naples； Rome and Genoa； and no longer confined his attention to furniture and bric…a…brac； but had his eye open for paintings as well； because his latest ambition was to found a gallery。 This taste for paintings came to him rather late in life； for his artistic appreciation had long been limited to the works of Girodet； a taste which called forth many a sarcasm from the far better informed Theophile Gautier。 In Rome Balzac purchased a Sebastiano del Piombo； a Bronzino and a Mierevelt； he hunted up some Hobbemas and Holbeins； he secured a Natoire and a Breughel；which he decided to sell； as it proved not to be genuine；for he wanted 〃pictures of the first rank or none at all〃； furthermore； he brought back to Paris a Judgment of Paris； attributed to Giorgione； a Greuze；a sketch of his wife；a Van Dyck； a Paul Brill； The Sorceresses； a sketch of the birth of Louis XIV representing the Adoration of the Shepherds； an Aurora by Guido； a Rape of Europa； by Annibale Carrachio or Domenichino；and there we have the beginning of his gallery such as he described it in Cousin Pons。 At the same time he did not neglect other forms of art for the sake of his paintings； he acquired a Saxon dinner service and a set of Dutch furniture from Amsterdam； Mme。 Hanska sent him some porcelains from Germany； he sent to Tours for a writing desk and a commode of the Louis XVI period； he bought a bed supposed to have belonged to Mme。 de Pompadour and which he intended for his guest chamber； besides a parlour set in carved woodwork； 〃of the last degree of magnificence；〃 and a dining…room fountain made by Bernard Palissy for Henry II or Charles IX。 Little by little he accumulated these marvels； destined to adorn his home after the marriage。
And； in the hope of hastening the date； he made one supreme effort； with his brain as clear and as fertile as in the periods of his most furious production。 Between 1844 and 1847 he produced； in addition to the works already mentioned； The Peasants； The Splendour and Misery of Courtezans （third part）； Cousin Bette； The Involuntary Comedians； The Last Incarnation of Vautrin； Cousin Pons； The Deputy from Arcis； and The Lesser Bourgeoisie。 He foresaw the dawn of his deliverance： he would be able to achieve his gigantic task in peace。
Balzac was fully conscious of his genius and of the greatness of the monument which he had already partly raised。 He objected to being classed with the men of letters of his period； and for some time past had claimed recognition as standing on a higher level。 Eugene de Mirecourt was witness of a scene which bore evidence to his justifiable pride：
〃It was during the winter of 1843；〃 he wrote； 〃that Messrs。 Maulde and Renon published a Picture of the Great City； which was edited by Marc Fournier； the present manager of the Port…Saint…Martin theatre。
〃One evening Balzac entered the publishers' office and said：
〃'Our agreement； gentlemen； was that I should be paid for my Monograph on the Parisian Press at the rate of five hundred francs a page。'
〃'That is so；' they replied。
〃'I have received only fifteen hundred francs and there are four pages； accordingly you still owe me five hundred francs。'
〃'But your corrections； M。 de Balzac！ Have you any idea what they amounted to？'
〃'There was nothing said about my paying for corrections。'
〃'That is true；' replied M。 Renon； 'but I ought to tell you that Alexander Dumas's article； Filles； Lorettes et Courtisanes； also ran to four pages； yet we have not given him a centime more than we have given you。'
〃Balzac started and turned pale。 It is evident that he must have been in great financial need before he would have come to make such a request。 But he quite forgot this in the face of the words he had just heard。 For； without pressing his claim further； he arose； took his hat and said； with an accent of solemn dignity：
〃'From the moment that you compare me with that negro I have the honour of wishing you good evening！'
〃He went out。 And that was how the mere name of Alexandre Dumas saved the business office of The Great City five hundred francs。〃 （Balzac； by Eugene de Mirecourt； pp。 80…82。）
In order to hasten his liberation from debt and his settlement with creditors； Balzac tried to augment the sums which he received from editors and publishers with the profits from various speculations。 He expected a rise in value of the shares which he held in the company of the Chemins de Fer du Nord； and； either trusting to reliable information or else himself possessing an intimate knowledge of the development of real estate in Paris； he urged Mme。 Hanska to invest her capital in land in the Monceau district。 He cited the example of Louis…Philippe； who was the cleverest speculator of his time； and who had acquired tracts of immense extent。
After the close of 1846 Balzac retired from the outside world and gave himself up almost entirely to his great work。 Through an intermediary he had purchased the residence of the financier； Baujon； in the Rue Fortunee； and with great secrecy he had it repaired and redecorated； with a view to making it habitable at the earliest possible date。 Here he deposited his wealth of furnishings；which had already begun to excite public wonderment； owing to certain indiscreet revelations；but his life； which had always been closely hidden； had now become practically unknown。 He was unwilling to show himself again in public until he could return in triumph after his marriage。 Mme。 Hanska visited Paris a second time； in 1847； and approved of all his arrangements。 Balzac in return went to Wierzchownia that same year； and he was dazzled by the vastness of her estates；which were equal in extent to a whole department of France；and by the possibilities of neglected and undeveloped resources which might be made to yield millions。 After his return to Paris he had but one desire： to go back to Wierzchownia； celebrate his marriage； and realise the dream which he had tenaciously pursued for seventeen years。
He remained in Paris six months； living in his new home in the Rue Fortunee； denying himself to all but his most intimate friends； and hiding his prosperity until the day should come when he could announce his good fortune to the world at large。 One of the last portraits of Balzac at this period is the one traced by Champfleury； whom he had received as a disciple and fervent admirer：
〃M。 de Balzac；〃 he wrote； 〃descended the stairs enveloped in his famous monk's robe。 His face is round； his black eyes are excessively brilliant； the general tone of his complexion verges upon olive； with patches of violent red in the cheeks； and pure yellow towards the temples and around the eyes。 His abundant hair is a dense black； intermingled with threads of silver； it is an astonishing head of hair。 In spite of the amplitude of his dressing…gown； his girth appears enormous。〃 And； further on； he gives us this second sketch： 〃but at the age of forty…nine M。 de Balzac ought to be painted rather than sculptured。 His keen black eyes； his powerful growth of hair intermingled with white； the violent tones of pure yellow and red which succeed each other crudely in his cheeks； and the singular character of the hairs of his beard； all combine to give him the air of a festive wild boar； that the modern sculptors would ha