Balzac expresses his admiration for her in the dedication of the Memoires de deux jeunes mariees: 

 “To George Sand.

“This dedication, dear George, can add nothing to the glory of your name, which will cast its magic luster on my book; but in making it there is neither modesty nor self-interest on my part.  I desire to bear testimony to the true friendship between us which continues unchanged in spite of travels and absence,—­in spite, too, of our mutual hard work and the maliciousness of the world.  This feeling will doubtless never change.  The procession of friendly names which accompany my books mingles pleasure with the pain their great number causes me, for they are not written without anxiety, to say nothing of the reproach cast upon me for my alarming fecundity,—­as if the world which poses before me were not more fecund still.  Would it not be a fine thing, George, if some antiquary of long past literatures should find in that procession none but great names, noble hearts, pure and sacred friendships,—­the glories of this century?  May I not show myself prouder of that certain happiness than of other successes which are always uncertain?  To one who knows you well it must ever be a great happiness to be allowed to call himself, as I do here,

“Your friend,
“DE BALZAC.”

CHAPTER IV

BUSINESS AND SOCIAL FRIENDS

MADAME BECHET—­MADAME WERDET

A woman with whom Balzac was to have business dealings early in his literary career was Madame Charles Bechet, of whom he said:  “This publisher is a woman, a widow whom I have never seen, and whom I do not know.  I shall not send off this letter until the signatures are appended on both sides, so that my missive may carry you good news about my interests; . . .”

Thus began a business relation which, like many of Balzac’s financial affairs, was to end unhappily.  At first he liked her very much and dined with her, meeting in her company such noted literary men as Beranger, but as usual, he delayed completing his work, meanwhile resorting, in mitigation of his offense, to tactics such as the following words will indicate:  “. . . a pretty watch given at the right moment to Madame Bechet may win me a month’s freedom.  I am going to overwhelm her with gifts to get peace.”

Balzac often caused his publishers serious annoyance by re-writing his stories frequently, but at the beginning of this business relation he agreed with Madame Bechet about the cost of corrections.  He says of the fair publisher:  “The widow Bechet has been sublime:  she had taken upon herself the expense of more than four thousand francs of corrections, which were set down to me.  Is this not still pleasanter?”

But this could not last long, for she became financially embarrassed and then had to be very strict with him.  She refused to advance any money until his work was delivered to her and called upon him to pay for the corrections.  This he resented greatly: