of Balzac's
political ideas are set forth in his letters to her when he was a
candidate for the post of deputy. She reproached him for a mobility of
ideas, an inconstancy of resolution, and feared that the influence of
the Duchesse de Castries had not been good for him. To this last
accusation, he replied that she was unjust, and that he would never be
sold to a party for a woman.

Another tie which united Balzac to Madame Carraud was her sympathy for
his devotion to Madame de Berny, of whom she was not jealous. Both
women were devoted to him, and were friendly towards each other, so
much so that in December, 1833, she invited Balzac to bring Madame de
Berny with him to spend several days in her home at Frapesle. This he
especially appreciated, since neither his mother nor his sister
approved of his relations with his _Dilecta_.

Madame Carraud occupied in Balzac's life a position rather between
that of Madame de Berny and that of a sister. Indeed, he often
referred to her as a sister, and she was generous minded enough to ask
him not to write to her when she learned how unpleasant his mother and
sister were in regard to his writing to his friends.

Seeing his devotion to her, one can understand why he begged her to
spare him neither counsels, scoldings nor reproaches, for all were
received kindly from her. One can perceive also the sincerity of the
following expressions of friendship:

"You are right, friendship is not found ready made. Thus every day
mine for you increases; it has its root both in the past and in
the present. . . . Though I do not write often, believe that my
friendship does not sleep; the farther we advance in life,
precious ties like our friendship only grow the closer. . . . I
shall never let a year pass without coming to inhabit my room at
Frapesle. I am sorry for all your annoyances; I should like to
know you are already at home, and believe me, I am not averse to
an agricultural life, and even if you were in any sort of hell, I
would go there to join you. . . . Dear friend, let me at least
tell you now, in the fulness of my heart, that during this long
and painful road four noble beings have faithfully held out their
hands to me, encouraged me, loved me, and had compassion on me;
and you are one of them, who have in my heart an inalienable
privilege and priority over all other affections; every hour of my
life upon which I look back is filled with precious me