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Updated: June 26, 2025
The "gentille Zephirine," otherwise the Countess Anna, was gay, charming, and beautifully dressed; and "Gringalet," the Count, was completely occupied when not making love with his collection of insects, on which he spent large sums. Balzac travelled about a little with the Hanski family, and remained with them till September 15th, when he was obliged to go back to Paris.
In the early spring of 1833, the Hanski family, after no doubt many preparations, and surrounded by a great paraphernalia for travelling in those days was a serious matter started on the journey about which Madame Hanska had already told Balzac.
M. de Hanski was also much flattered by Balzac's friendship for his wife, and would finish a polite and stilted epistle by saying that he need trouble Balzac no more, as he knows his wife is at the same time writing him one of her long chattering letters.
M. de Hanski often suffered from "blue devils," which did not make him a cheerful companion; and when Madame Hanska had performed a few graceful duties, as chatelaine to the poor of the neighbourhood, there was no occupation left except reading or writing letters.
"Vautrin" La Revue Parisienne Societe des Gens-de-Lettres Balzac leaves Les Jardies, and goes to the Rue Basse, Passy Death of M. de Hanski "Les Ressources de Quinola" "La Comedie Humaine" Balzac goes to St. Petersburg to meet Madame Hanska Her reasons for deferring the marriage. The sad fate of "L'Ecole des Menages" did not long discourage Balzac.
In the midst of the acclamations and congratulations on the appearance of "Eugenie Grandet," Balzac again left Paris, and went to Geneva, where he arrived on December 25th, 1833. He left for Paris on February 8th, having spent six weeks with the Hanski family. During this time a definite promise was made by Madame Hanska, that she would marry him if she became a widow.
The tone of Balzac's letters to his relations at this time has been adversely criticised, and it is true that the reader is sometimes irritated by the frequency of his requests for service from them, and his continual insistence on the wonderful perfections of the Hanski family, and their grandeur and importance.
Still there were innumerable stoppages, and doubt where the precious canvas was located; till the impatient Balzac was only deterred from his intention of starting a lawsuit against the authorities, by a fear of bringing the noble name of Hanski into notoriety.
"When you or Monsieur Hanski or Anna are ill," he wrote to Eve, "let me know. Don't laugh at me. To all his friends he reiterated the same advice magnetic treatment, which he declared his mother capable of exercising as well as himself.
Time after time Balzac mentions in his correspondence that he has consulted somnambulists when he has been anxious about the health of the Hanski family; and it is curious that a few months before he received the letter from Madame Hanska, telling of her husband's death, he had visited a sorcerer, who by means of cards, told him many extraordinary things about his past career, and said that in six weeks he would receive news which would change his whole life.
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