another attempt.  Taking advantage of her husband’s absence a few weeks later, she invited Balzac to lunch with Madame O’Donnel and herself.  But time had not yet done its work, so Balzac declined, saying it would be illogical for him to accept when M. de Girardin was not at home, since he did not go there when he was present.  The following excerpts from his letters, declining her various invitations, show that Balzac regarded her as his friend: 

“The regret I experience is caused quite as much by the blue eyes and blond hair of a lady who I believe to be my friend—­and whom I would gladly have for mine—­as by those black eyes which you recall to my remembrance, and which had made an impression on me.  But indeed I can not come. . . .  Your salon was almost the only one where I found myself on a footing of friendship.  You will hardly perceive my absence; and I remain alone.  I thank you with sincere and affectionate feeling, for your kind persistence.  I believe you to be actuated by a good motive; and you will always find in me something of devotion towards you in all that personally concerns yourself.”

Her attempts to restore the friendship were futile, owing to the obstinacy of the quarrel, but she eventually succeeded by means of her novel, La Canne de Monsieur de Balzac.  In describing this cane as a sort of club made of turquoises, gold and marvelous chasings, Madame de Girardin incidentally compliments Balzac by making Tancrede observe that Balzac’s large, black eyes are more brilliatn than these gems, and wonder how so intellectual a man can carry so ugly a cane.

This famous cane belongs to-day to Madame la Baronne de Fontenay, daughter of Doctor Nacquart.  In October, 1850, Madame Honore de Balzac wrote a letter to Doctor Nacquart, Balzac’s much loved physician, asking him to accept, as a souvenir of his illustrious friend, this cane which had created such a sensation,—­the entire mystery of which consisted in a small chain which she had worn as a young girl, and which had been used in making the knob.  There has been much discussion as to its actual appearance.  He describes it to Madame Hanska (March 30, 1835), as bubbling with turquoise on a chased gold knob.  The description of M. Werdet can not be relied on, for he states that Gosselin brought him the cane in October, 1836, and that Balzac conceived the idea of it while at a banquet in prison, but, as has been shown, the cane was in existence as early as March, 1835, and Madame de Girardin’s book appeared in May, 1836.  As to the description of the cane given by Paul Lacroix, the Princess Radziwill states that the cane owned by him is the one that Madame Hanska gave Balzac, and which he afterwards discarded for the gaudier one he had ordered for himself.  This first cane was left by him to his nephew, Edouard Lacroix.  Several years later (1845), Balzac had Froment Meurice make a cane aux singes for the Count George de Mniszech, future son-in-law of Madame Hanska, so the various canes existing in connection with Balzac may help to explain the varying descriptions.