e lacking in business ability; this proved to be too true,
but Balzac was indeed a very poor person to advise her on this
subject; however, her lack of accuracy in failing to date her letters
was, to be sure, a great annoyance to him.

On the other hand, she suspected her _Nore_, had again heard that he
was married, and that he was given to indulging in intoxicating
liquors; she advised him not to associate so much with women.

Having eventually won her lawsuit, she returned to Wierzchownia in the
spring of 1844, after a residence of almost two years in St.
Petersburg. Her daughter Anna had made her debut in St. Petersburg
society, and had met the young Comte George de Mniszech, who was
destined to become her husband. Balzac was not pleased with this
choice, and felt that the _protege_ of the aged Comte Potocki would
make a better husband, for moral qualities were to be considered
rather than fortune.

After spending the summer and autumn at her home, Madame Hanska went
to Dresden for the winter. As early as August, Balzac sought
permission to visit her there, making his request in time to arrange
his work in advance and secure the money for the journey, in case she
consented. While in St. Petersburg, she had given him money to buy
some gift for Anna, so he planned to take both of them many beautiful
things, and _une cave de parfums_ as a gift _de nez a nez_. If she
would not consent to his coming to Dresden, he would come to Berlin,
Leipsic, Frankfort, Aix-la-Chapelle, or anywhere else. He became
impatient to know his fate, and her letters were so irregular that he
exclaimed: "In heaven's name, write me regularly three times a month!"

Poor Balzac's dream was to be on the way to Dresden, but this was not
to be realized. It will be remembered, that Madame Hanska's family did
not approve of Balzac nor did they appreciate his literary worth, they
felt that the marriage would be a decided _mesalliance_, and exerted
their influence against him. Discouraged by them and her friends, she
forbade his coming. While her family called him a _scribe exotique_,
Balzac indirectly told her of the appreciation of other women, saying
that Madame de Girardin considered him to be one of the most charming
conversationalists of the day.

This uncertainty as to his going to visit his "Polar Star" affected
him to such a degree that he could not concentrate his mind on his
work, and he became impatient to the point of scolding her:

"B