Wednesday, June 10th, 1846

Moncontour is my Predilection, I would like for you to come and see its beauty. It is one of the most wonderful views in the Touraine, and there is a village at Vouvray. If we could have Moncontour, all my plans would change. I would not furnish the Paris apartment so lavishly, we would wait longer; I would gather all of my efforts and focus them on the Moncontour castle, because we could live in it forever. If at some later time we acquire land, we must still come and spend autumns here, they are delightful. It would be our home for at least ten years, and we would spend December, January, February, March and April in Paris. You see, I was right to hold the funds available! We need 40,000 francs to buy Moncontour, because I would purchase it under a private signature to avoid fees, the owners would give me their mandate to sell and I would only pay rights for the parts I would keep.

As soon as I receive the answer, I will write to you! But as soon as I have to, I will sell the shares for 40,000 francs and Bassenge will cover the costs of the building. We will still have 100 shares in the Nord railway. But this will depend on a payment of 7,500 francs during the first days of 1847.

"Moncontour est ma Prédilection"
Honoré de Balzac