Balzac visited her frequently, calling her the Princesse
/Bellejoyeuse/, and she rendered him many services, but he probably
guarded against too great an intimacy, having witnessed the fate of
Alfred de Musset. He was, however, greatly impressed by her beauty,
and in the much discussed letter to his sister Laure he speaks of
Madame Hanska as a masterpiece of beauty who could be compared only to
the Princesse /Bellejoyeuse/, only infinitely more beautiful. Some
years later, however, this beauty had changed for him into an ugliness
that was even repulsive.
It amused the novelist very much to have people think that he had
dedicated to the Princesse Belgiojoso /Modeste Mignon/, a work written
in part by Madame Hanska, and dedicated to her. In the first edition
this book was dedicated to a foreign lady, but seeing the false
impression made he dedicated it, in its second edition to a Polish
lady. He did, however, dedicate /Gaudissart II/ to:
Madame la Princesse de Belgiojoso, nee Trivulce.
Balzac found much rest and recuperation in travel, and in going to
Turin, in 1836, instead of traveling alone, he was accompanied by a
most charming lady, Madame Caroline Marbouty. She had literary
pretensions and some talent, writing under the pseudonym of /Claire
Brune/. Her work consisted of a small volume of poetry and several
novels. She was much pleased at being taken frequently for George
Sand, whom she resembled very much; and like her, she dressed as a
man. Balzac took much pleasure in intriguing every one regarding his
charming young page, whom he introduced in aristocratic Italian
society; but to no one did he disclose the real name or sex of his
traveling companion.
On his return from Turin he wrote to Comte Frederic Sclopis de
Salerano explaining that his traveling companion was by no means the
person whom he supposed. Knowing his chivalry, Balzac confided to the
Count that it was a charming, clever, virtuous woman, who never having
had the opportunity of breathing the Italian air and being able to
escape the ennui of housekeeping for a few weeks, had relied upon his
honor. She knew whom the novelist loved, and found in that the
greatest of guarantees. For the first and only time in her life she
amused herself by playing a masculine role, and on her return home had
resumed her feminine duties.
During this journey Madame Marbouty was known as /Marcel/, this being
the name of the devoted servant of Raoul de Nangis in Meyerbeer's
masterpiece, /Les Huguenots/, which had been given for the first time
on February 29, 1836. The two travelers had a delightful but very
fatiguing journey, for there were so many things to see that they even
took time from their sleep to enjoy the beauties of Italy. In writing
to Madame Hanska of this trip, he spoke of having for companion a
friend of Madame Carraud and Jules Sandeau.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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