laisian pen.

He knew many women who were active during the reign of Louis XVI,
women who were conspicuous under the Empire, and women who were
prominent in society during the Restoration, hence, one would
naturally expect to find traces of them in his works.

But it is not only this type of woman that Balzac has presented. He
painted the _bourgeoise_ in society, as seen in the daughters of
_Pere Goriot_, and many others, the various types of the _vieille
fille_ such as Mademoiselle Zephirine Guenic (_Beatrix_) who never
wished to marry, Cousine Bette who failed in her matrimonial attempts,
and Madame Bousquier (_La vieille Fille) who finally succeeded in
hers.

The working class is represented in such characters as Madame
Remonencq (_Le Cousin Pons_) and Madame Cardinal (_Les petits
Bourgeois_), while the servant class is well shown in the person of
the _grand_ Nanon (_Eugenie Grandet_), the faithful Fanny (_La
Grenadiere_), and many others. As has been seen, there is a trace of
his old servant, Mere Comin, in the person of Madame Vaillant (_Facino
Cane_), and Mere Cognette and La Rabouilleuse (_La Rabouilleuse_) are
said to be people he met while visiting Madame Carraud. The novelist
must have known many such women, for his mother and sisters had
servants, and in the homes of Madame de Berny, Madame Carraud and
Madame de Margonne, he certainly knew the servants, not to mention
those he observed at the cafes and in his wanderings.

Balzac knew several young girls at different periods of his life. His
sister Laure was his first and only companion in his earlier years,
and he knew his sister Laurence especially well in the years
immediately preceding her marriage. Madame Carraud was a schoolmate of
Madame Surville and visited in his home as a young girl. He was not
only acquainted with the various daughters of Madame de Berny, but at
one time there was some prospect of his marrying Julie. Josephine and
Constance, daughters of Madame d'Abrantes, were acquaintances of his
during their early womanhood. He must have known Mademoiselle de
Trumilly as he presented himself as her suitor, and being entertained
in her home frequently, doubtless saw her sisters also. Since he
accompanied his sister to balls in his youth, it is natural to suppose
that he met young girls there, even if there is no record of it.

A few years later he became devoted to the two daughters of his sister
Laure, and lived with her for a short time. H