ciety of MM. Janni
and Sainte-Beauve, who have so outrageously wounded me. It seemed to
me bad taste, and now I am happily out of it."

_La Duchesse de Langeais_ appeared in 1834, but Madame de Castries had
not fully wreaked her revenge on Balzac. For some time an Irish woman,
a Miss Patrickson, had insisted on translating Balzac's works. Madame
de Castries engaged her as teacher of English, and used her as a means
of ensnaring Balzac by having her write him a love letter and sign it
"Lady Nevil." Though suspicious about this letter, he answered it, and
a rendezvous was arranged at the opera. That day he called on Madame
de Castries, and she had him remain for dinner. When he excused
himself to go to the opera, she insisted on accompanying him; he then
realized that he was a victim of her strategy, which he thus
describes:

"I go to the opera. No one there. Then I write a letter, which
brings the miss, old, horrible, with hideous teeth, but full of
remorse for the part she had played, full of affection for me and
contempt and horror for the Marquise. Though my letters were
extremely ironical and written for the purpose of making a woman
masquerading as a false lady blush, she (Miss Patrickson) had
recovered them. I had the upper hand of Madame de C---- She ended
by divining that in this intrigue she was on the down side. From
that time forth she vowed me a hatred which will end only with
life. In fact, she may rise out of her grave to calumniate me. She
never opened _Seraphita_ on account of its dedication, and her
jealousy is such that if she could completely destroy the book she
would weep for joy."[*]

[*] Seized with pity for this poor Irish woman, Balzac called later to
see about some translations and found her overcome by drink in the
midst of poverty and dirt. He learned afterwards that she was
addicted to the habit of drinking gin.

Notwithstanding their enmity Balzac visited her occasionally. She had
become so uncomely that he could not understand his infatuation at
Aix, ten years before. He disliked her especially because she had for
the moment, in posing as Madame de Balzac, made Madame Hanska believe
he was married. He enjoyed telling her of Madame Hanska's admiration
for and devotion to him, and sarcastically remarked to her that she
was such a "true friend" she would be happy to learn of his financial
success. Thus, during a period of several years, while speaking