THE ZOLA DICTIONARY

A

ADELE, the girl for whom Auguste Lantier deserted Gervaise Macquart.

They lived together for seven years, a life of constant bickerings and

quarrels, accompanied, not infrequently, by blows, until the connection

was ended by Adele running away. Her sister was Virginie, with whom

Gervaise fought in the public washing-house on the day of her desertion

by Lantier. L’Assommoir.

ADELE, maid-servant to the Josserands, and one of Hector Trublot’s

friends. Pot-Bouille.

ADELE, an assistant in the shop of Quenu, the pork-butcher. It was

she who took charge of the shop on the sudden death of her master. And

subsequently sent Pauline Quenu to Madame Chanteau. La Joie de Vivre.

ADOLPHE, an artillery driver in the same battery as Honore Fouchard. In

accordance with a rule of the French artillery, under which a driver and

a gunner are coupled, he messed with Louis, the gunner, whom, however,

he was inclined to treat as a servant. At the battle of Sedan, before

the Calvary d’Illy, where the French were almost exterminated by the

Prussian artillery, Adolphe fell, killed by a wound in the chest; in a

last convulsion he clasped in his arms Louis, who had fallen at the same

moment, killed by the same shot. La Debacle.

ALBINE, niece of Jeanbernat, keeper of the Paradou, a neglected demesne

in Provence. Her father had ruined himself and committed suicide when

she was nine years old, and she then came to live with her uncle. She

grew up in that vast garden of flowers, herself its fairest, almost in

ignorance of the world outside, and when Abbe Mouret came to the Paradou

forgetful of his past, she loved him unconsciously from the first. As

she nursed him towards health, and his mind began again to grow from

that fresh starting-point to which it had been thrown back, there

developed an idyll as beautiful and as innocent as that which had its

place in another and an earlier garden. The awakening of Abbe Mouret to

the recollections of his priesthood ended the romance, for the call

of his training was too strong for his love. One effort Albine made

to bring him back, and it was successful in so much that one day he

returned to the Paradou. Again there followed the struggle between the

flesh and the Church, and again the Church prevailed. Broken-hearted,

Albine passed for the last time through her loved garden, gathering as

she went vast heaps of flowers. More and more she gathered, till her

room was nearly full; then, closing the door and windows, she lay down

amongst the flowers, and allowed herself to be suffocated by their

overpowering perfume. La Faute de l’Abbe Mouret.

ALEXANDRE, a porter at the Halles Centrales, where he became a friend

of Claude Lantier. He was involved along with Florent and Gavard in the

revolutionary meetings at Lebigre’s wine-shop, and was sentenced to two

years’ imprisonment. Le Ventre de Paris.

ALEXANDRE, one of the warders at the asylum of Les Tulettes. He was a

friend of Antoine Macquart, and at his request allowed Francois Mouret

to escape from the asylum, with disastrous results to Abbe Faujas and

his relations. La Conquete de Plassans.

ALEXANDRE, a boy employed in the shop known as _Au Bonheur des Dames_.

Pot-Bouille.

AMADIEU, a speculator on the Paris Bourse who made a fortune by a rash

purchase of mining stock. He went into the affair without calculation

or knowledge, but his success made him revered by the entire Bourse.

He placed no more orders, however, but seemed to be satisfied with his

single victory. L’Argent.

AMANDA, one of the singers at a cafe concert in Boulevard Rochechouart.

L’Assommoir.

AMELIE, a _demi-mondaine_ who lodged at the Hotel Vanneau, which was

kept by Madame Correur. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

AMELIE, wife of a journeyman carpenter who occupied a little room at the

top of Vabre’s tenement-house in Rue Choiseul. Pot-Bouille.

ANDRE (LE PERE), an old countryman at Chavanoz, the village where Miette

spent her childhood. La Fortune des Rougon.

ANGELE (SISTER), a nun attached to the infirmary of the college of

Plassans. Her Madonna-like face turned the heads of all the older

pupils, and one morning she disappeared with Hermeline, a student of

rhetoric. L’Oeuvre.

ANGELIQUE MARIE, born 1851, was the daughter of Sidonie Rougon, by an

unknown father. Soon after her birth she was taken to the Foundling

Hospital by a nurse, Madame Foucart, and no further inquiries were ever

made about her. She was at first boarded with Francoise Hamelin, by whom

she was not unkindly treated, and subsequently went to Paris with

Louis Franchomme and his wife, who wished to teach her the trade of

artificial-flower making. Franchomme having died three months later,

his widow went to reside at Beaumont with her brother, Rabier, taking

Angelique with her. Unfortunately, Madame Franchomme died a few months

afterwards, leaving Angelique to the care of the Rabiers, who used

her badly, not even giving her enough to eat. In consequence of their

treatment, she ran away on Christmas Day, 1860, and the following

morning was found in a fainting condition by Hubert, the chasuble-maker,

who noticed her lying in the snow within the porch of the cathedral

of Beaumont. Hubert and his wife took the child into their home, and,

becoming attached to her, ultimately adopted her as their daughter,

teaching her the art of embroidering vestments, in which she became

very skilful. Angelique, though an amiable girl, was at first liable

to violent attacks of temper, and it was only by the exercise of much

patience and tact on the part of Madame Hubert that this tendency was

overcome. The girl was always a dreamer, and her cloistered life with

the Huberts, along with constant reading of the lives of the saints,

brought out all that was mystic in her nature. A chance meeting between

Angelique and a young man named Felicien led to their falling in

love, she being in entire ignorance of the fact that he was the son of

Monseigneur d’Hautecoeur, and a member of one of the oldest and proudest

families in France. Felicien’s father having refused his consent to a

marriage, and a personal appeal to him by Angelique having failed,

the lovers were separated for a time. The girl gradually fell into

ill-health, and seemed at the point of death when Monseigneur

himself came to administer the last rites of the Church. Having been

miraculously restored to a measure of health, Angelique was married to

Felicien d’Hautecoeur in the great cathedral of Beaumont. She was very

feeble, and as she was leaving the church on the arm of her husband she

sank to the ground. In the midst of her happiness she died; quietly and

gently as she had lived. Le Reve.

ANGLARS (IRMA D’), a _demi-mondaine_ of former times who had been

celebrated under the First Empire. In her later years she retired to a

house which she owned at Chamont, where she lived a simple yet stately

life, treated with the greatest respect by all the neighbourhood. Nana.

ANNOUCHKA, mistress of Souvarine, and implicated with him in a political

plot. Disguised as a countryman, she assisted in the undermining of a

railway over which an imperial train was to pass, and it was she

who eventually lit the fuse. She was captured along with others, and

Souvarine, who had escaped, was present at her trial during six long

days. When she came to be executed, she looked in vain among the crowd

for her lover, till Souvarine mounted on a stone, and, their eyes having

met, remained fixed in one long gaze till the end. Germinal.

ANTONIA, waiting-maid to Clorinde Balbi, with whom she was on familiar

terms. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

ARCHANGLAS (BROTHER), a Christian Brother, who lived at Les Artaud, and

taught children there. He was a coarse-minded man of violent temper,

whose hatred of women led him to make the gravest charges against them.

He constituted himself a spy on the actions of Abbe Mouret, and was

partly the means of calling back the priest’s memory of his sacred

calling. He insulted Jeanbernat and Albine so grossly, that after the

girl’s death the old man attacked him and cut off his right ear with a

pocket-knife. La Faute de l’Abbe Mouret.

AUBERTOT (MADAME ELIZABETH), sister of M. Beraud du Chatel, and aunt

of Renee and Christine. She gave a large sum of money to Saccard on his

marriage to Renee. La Curee.

AUBRY (SEVERINE), youngest daughter of a gardener in the employment of

Grandmorin. Her mother died when she was in infancy, and she was only

thirteen when she lost her father also. President Grandmorin, who was

her godfather, took charge of her, and brought her up with his daughter

Berthe. The two girls were sent to the same school at Rouen, and spent

their holidays together at Doinville. Ignorant and facile, Severine

yielded to the designs of the old President, who subsequently arranged

a marriage for her with Roubaud, an employee of the Western Railway

Company. For three years the couple lived happily, but a moment of

forgetfulness, a trifling lie which she neglected to sustain, revealed

everything to Roubaud. In an accession of jealous fury he forced his

wife to become his accomplice in the murder of Grandmorin, and it

was she who threw herself across the limbs of the President while her

husband struck the fatal blow. Suspicions fell upon the Roubauds,

and indeed the truth was known to M. Camy-Lamotte, but political

considerations made it desirable that the character of President

Grandmorin should not be publicly discussed, and the inquiry into the

murder was dropped. The domestic relations between the Roubauds were

becoming more and more strained, and Severine became entirely enamoured

of Jacques Lantier. In order to free herself from her husband, she

persuaded Lantier to murder Roubaud and fly with her to America. The

arrangements were completed when Lantier was seized with one of the

homicidal frenzies to which he was subject, and it was Severine herself

who fell under his knife instead of their intended victim. La Bete

Humaine.

AUGUSTE, keeper of an eating-house known as _Le Moulin d’Argent_ on

Boulevard de la Chapelle. The wedding party of Coupeau and Gervaise was

given there. L’Assommoir.

AUGUSTE, a waiter at the Cafe des Varietes. Nana.

AUGUSTE, a young swine-herd at La Borderie. He assisted Soulas, the old

shepherd, to look after the sheep. La Terre.

AUGUSTINE, a young girl who assisted Gervaise Coupeau in her laundry.

She was squint-eyed and mischievous, and was always making trouble with

the other employees. As she was the least qualified and therefore the

worst-paid assistant in the laundry, she was kept on after decreasing

business caused the others to leave. L’Assommoir.

AUGUSTINE, an artificial-flower maker who was employed by Madame

Titreville. L’Assommoir.

AURELIE (MADEMOISELLE), an elderly friend of Madame Deberle, at whose

house she was a frequent visitor. She was in straitened circumstances.

Une Page d’Amour.

AURELIE (MADAME). See Madame Aurelie Lhomme. Au Bonheur des Dames.

AURIGNY (LAURE D’), a celebrated _demi-mondaine_ of the Second Empire.

At a sale of her effects, Aristide Saccard bought a diamond necklace and

aigrette for his second wife. La Curee.

B

BABET, one of the peasant girls of Les Artaud, who came to decorate the

church for the festival of the Virgin. She was a hunchback. La Faute de

l’Abbe Mouret.

BACHELARD (PERE), brother of Narcisse Bachelard and uncle of Madame

Josserand. He conducted for forty years a boarding-school known as the

Institution-Bachelard. Pot-Bouille.

BACHELARD (ELEONORE). See Madame Josserand. Pot-Bouille.

BACHELARD (NARCISSE), a commission agent, whose keen business instincts

were not blunted by his intemperate habits. He was a brother of Madame

Josserand, and had at one time promised to give a dowry to her daughter

Berthe; this promise he was unwilling to implement, and when spoken to

on the subject usually feigned intoxication; eventually he suggested

the somewhat dishonest plan by which Berthe’s intended husband was

hoodwinked into the belief that the dowry would be duly forthcoming. His

protegee, Fifi, having compromised herself with Gueulin, his nephew,

he insisted on their marriage, and presented the girl with a dowry.

Pot-Bouille.

BADEUIL (CHARLES), married Laure Fouan, and went to live at Chartres. He

tried commerce without much success, and, haunted by a desire for rapid

fortune, acquired a _maison publique_ which had fallen into bad repute

through mismanagement. Thanks to the firm control of Badeuil, and the

extraordinary activity of his wife, the establishment prospered, and in

less than twenty-five years the couple had saved three hundred thousand

francs. They were then able to realize the dream of their life, and

to retire to the country, where they purchased a property named

Roseblanche, near Madame Badeuil’s native place. M. Badeuil was a

handsome man, sixty-five years of age, with a solemn face, and the air

of a retired magistrate. He was respected by his neighbours, and held

the strictest views on morality. The old couple lived in complete

happiness, their only worry being that Vaucogne, who had married their

daughter Estelle and taken over the property in Chartres, was not

managing it properly. La Terre.

BADEUIL (MADAME LAURE), wife of the preceding, was the youngest daughter

of Joseph Casimir Fouan. She was the sister of La Grande, of Pere Fouan,

and of Michel Fouan, known as Mouche. When her father’s estate was

divided, she got no land, but received an indemnity in money instead.

After she and her husband acquired the establishment in Chartres, she

assisted ably in its management. At the time of their retirement to

the country, she was a woman of sixty-two years of age, of respectable

appearance and an air of religious seclusion. She set a good example by

going regularly to Mass, and paid great attention to the education of

her granddaughter, Elodie, whom she endeavoured to bring up in entire

ignorance of life. She had, however, still a passion for active life,

and in busy seasons frequently returned to Chartres to assist her

daughter, who had taken over the establishment there. Madame Badeuil

received the greatest surprise of her life when she found that her

granddaughter whom she had brought up in the innocence of ignorance, was

quite aware of the source of the family fortune, and was ready to take

up the work begun by her grandparents. La Terre.

BADEUIL (ESTELLE), daughter of the preceding, was educated by the

Sisters of the Visitation at Chateaudun, and at eighteen was married to

Hector Vaucogne, by whom she had one daughter, Elodie. She was thirty

years of age before she had any suspicion of the calling of her parents,

and at that time she took over the management of their establishment.

She proved a capable manager, and in spite of the laziness of her

husband, was able to keep up the reputation of the house, though in a

few years she killed herself with hard work. La Terre.

BADINGUET, a popular nickname for Napoleon III. It was the name of the

workman whose clothes he wore when he escaped from the fortress of Ham.

Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

BAILLEHACHE, a notary at Cloyes, was born in 1805, and succeeded to

several generations of lawyers. He had a large business amongst the

peasantry, in whose quarrels he mediated with professional calmness. He

arranged the division of Fouan’s property between the various members of

the old man’s family. La Terre.

BAILLEHACHE (MADEMOISELLE), eldest sister of the preceding, was born in

1799. She was plain-looking, but good-natured, and at thirty-two married

Alexandre Hourdequin, to whom she brought a considerable dowry. She had

two children, a son and a daughter, and died in 1855. La Terre.

BALBI (CLORINDE), daughter of Comtesse Balbi, was a lady of great

beauty, but of eccentric habits. Her position in society being

precarious, she determined to establish it by a good marriage, and used

every endeavour to induce Eugene Rougon to make her his wife. Having

become fascinated by her beauty and charm, he made overtures which she

resisted in the belief that he would be the more certain to marry her.

He practically decided to do so, but reflection convinced him that

marriage with Clorinde Balbi would only injure his prospects of

political success. He suggested to her that she should marry his friend

Delestang, who was a man of wealth and position, and had expressed

admiration for her. Though naturally piqued at such a suggestion coming

from Rougon, she consented, and soon after was married. She remained on

outwardly friendly terms with Rougon, who was still infatuated by her,

but was determined to make him regret the slight he had put upon her.

After Rougon’s return to office, Delestang, her husband, was, at her

request, appointed Minister of Commerce and Agriculture. She had not,

however, forgiven Rougon, and privately took a leading part in the

agitation against his administration. Having become on somewhat

equivocal terms with the Emperor, she was able to secure the acceptance

of Rougon’s second resignation, and the office of Minister of the

Interior for her husband. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

BALBI (COMTESSE LENORA), an Italian lady who lived in Paris with her

daughter Clorinde. Little was known of her past, and it was generally

believed that she was in the employment of the Sardinian Government.

After her daughter’s marriage to Delestang, she left Paris for some

time, the eccentricity of her habits having begun to excite remark. M.

De Plouguern, who had originally met her in Italy, remained her lover

for thirty years. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

BALTHAZER, the old horse driven by Madame Francois between Nanterre and

Paris. Le Ventre de Paris.

BAMBOUSSE, mayor of the commune of Les Artaud, was more prosperous than

the others of his class, as he owned several fields of corn, olives,

and vines. His daughter Rosalie having become compromised with Fortune

Brichet, Abbe Mouret strongly urged him to consent to a marriage between

them, but this he at first refused, as he would lose the services of his

daughter, and Fortune was too poor to make him any return. He ultimately

consented, and the marriage was solemnized by Abbe Mouret. La Faute de

l’Abbe Mouret.

BAMBOUSSE (CATHERINE), younger daughter of the preceding, was always in

disgrace with Brother Archangias on account of her idle habits and her

friendship for Vincent Brichet. La Faute de l’Abbe Mouret.

BAMBOUSSE (ROSALIE), elder daughter of the preceding. As she had become

compromised by Fortune Brichet, Abbe Mouret urged her father to consent

to their marriage, but this he refused to do, though he ultimately

consented and the wedding took place. Her child died, and was buried on

the same day as Albine. La Faute de l’Abbe Mouret.

BAPTISTE, Aristide Saccard’s footman. La Curee.

BAPTISTIN, a clerk in the employment of Larsonneau, who made him play

the part of principal in a scheme whereby he intended to blackmail

Aristide Saccard. La Curee.

BAQUET (LA MERE), a wine dealer who sold the wines of Orleans at a cheap

rate. L’Assommoir.

BARILLOT, “call-boy” at the Theatre des Varietes, where he had been for

thirty years. He was a little, sallow man, with a shrill voice. Nana.

BASTIAN, a drummer in the 106th regiment of the line, commanded by

Colonel de Vineuil. During the retreat on Sedan, after the battle was

over, he had the misfortune to be struck by a stray bullet. He was

removed to an ambulance at the house of M. Delaherche, where he died

during the division of treasure of the Seventh Army Corps. The gold

coins which the sergeant put into his dying hands rolled on to the

ground, and were picked up by a wounded companion. La Debacle.

BATAILLE, an old white horse, which had been for six years in the

coal-pit at Voreux. It was killed by the flooding of the mine. Germinal.

BAUDEQUIN, a draughtsman who lived on the first floor of the house in

which lived the Coupeaus and the Lorilleux. He was a confirmed sponger

who was in debt all round, but spent his time in smoking and talking

with his friends. L’Assommoir.

BAUDEQUIN, the proprietor of a cafe in the Boulevard des Batignolles,

which was the resort on Sunday evenings during many years of Claude

Lantier, Pierre Sandoz, Dubuche, Mahoudeau, and their friends, a band

of youths devoted to art and determined to conquer Paris. Gradually,

however, the little company became submerged by a flood of newcomers,

and in time the meetings ceased. The cafe changed hands three times, and

when, after some years, Claude and Sandoz chanced to return, they found

everything completely altered. L’Oeuvre.

BAUDU (M.), proprietor of a drapery shop opposite “The Ladies’

Paradise.” The business had been in existence for many years and M.

Baudu conducted it on such old-fashioned lines that in competition

with Mouret’s great establishment it was rapidly disappearing. He had

acquired it from his father-in-law, and in turn he proposed to hand it

to Colomban, his shopman, who was engaged to be married to Genevieve,

his only daughter. Baudu postponed the marriage, however, from time to

time, as he did not wish to hand over the business in a worse state

than that in which he himself got it. Meanwhile Colomban had become

infatuated with Clara Prunaire, who ultimately induced him to run off.

Genevieve, who was in bad health, died soon afterwards, and before long

her mother died also. The business had gone from bad to worse, and, in

the end, Baudu lost everything, only avoiding bankruptcy by a complete

surrender. Like many of his neighbours, he was crushed out of existence

by Octave Mouret’s triumphant success. Au Bonheur des Dames.

BAUDU (MADAME ELIZABETH), wife of the preceding, was the daughter of a

draper whose business she brought to her husband. Her health was broken

down by worry, and by anxiety regarding her daughter Genevieve, whose

death she did not long survive. Au Bonheur des Dames.

BAUDU (CAPTAIN), son of Baudu, the draper. He went to Mexico. Au Bonheur

des Dames.

BAUDU (DENISE) was the daughter of a dyer at Valognes. The death of her

father left her with two young brothers dependent on her, and, the elder

having got a situation in Paris, she determined to accompany him. M.

Baudu, her uncle, had formerly promised assistance, but when Denise

arrived she found that his business was rapidly being ruined by

the steady extension of “The Ladies’ Paradise,” an enormous drapery

establishment belonging to Octave Mouret. In these circumstances she

could not be dependent on her uncle, and, to his annoyance, she applied

for and got a situation in this rival business. On account of petty

jealousies, her life there was not happy, and, having incurred the

enmity of Jouve, one of the inspectors, she was dismissed on a false

accusation. A time of great hardship followed, only lightened by the

kindness of old Bourras, in whose house she had rented a room for

herself and her young brother Pepe. She next got a situation with

Robineau, who had bought a silk merchant’s business and she remained

there for some time. While Denise was at “The Ladies’ Paradise” she had

attracted the attention of Octave Mouret, and, chancing to meet her one

day, he asked her to return. As she found that Robineau’s business was

not prospering, she consented, and from that time her position in “The

Ladies’ Paradise” was assured. Mouret had fallen in love with her, and

she with him, but she had sufficient strength of mind to refuse his

proposals. Ultimately he asked her to marry him, and to this she agreed.

Au Bonheur des Dames.

Madame Denise Mouret had two children, the elder being a girl and the

younger a boy. These resembled their mother, and grew magnificently. Le

Docteur Pascal.

BAUDU (GENEVIEVE), daughter of Baudu, the draper. She was engaged for a

number of years to Colomban, her father’s shopman, but in consequence of

the state of trade the marriage was put off from time to time. Genevieve

ultimately learned that her fiance had become infatuated with Clara

Prunaire, one of the shop-girls in “The Ladies’ Paradise.” Her health,

never good, suffered greatly, and soon after Colomban’s disappearance

she died. Au Bonheur des Dames.

BAUDU (JACQUELINE). See Blanche de Sivry.

BAUDU (JEAN), the elder brother of Denise. He worked for a time with

a cabinet-maker in Valognes, but earned nothing, though he learned to

carve so well that a gentleman promised to find a place for him with an

ivory-carver in Paris. He accepted the offer, and came to the city with

his sister and young brother. At first he earned only his board and

lodging, and, as he was good-looking and a favourite with women, he made

heavy inroads on his sister’s small purse. Ultimately, when he did get a

wage, he took the earliest opportunity of getting married, inducing his

sister, as usual, to give him what little money she had been able to

save. Au Bonheur des Dames.

BAUDU (PEPE), the youngest brother of Denise. He was a mere child when

the family came to Paris, and it was only by the greatest self-sacrifice

that Denise was able to support him. When she went to “The Ladies’

Paradise” he was boarded with Madame Gras, and after his sister’s

dismissal he went with her to Bourras, who showed great kindness to both

of them. After Denise returned to “The Ladies’ Paradise,” Pepe again

went to live with Madame Gras for a time. Au Bonheur des Dames.

BAUDU (THERESE), wife of Jean Baudu. Au Bonheur des Dames.

BAUGE, who was the younger son of a grocer at Dunkerque, came to Paris

and got a situation in the linen department of the “Bon Marche,” where

he was able to make a fairly good income. He became the lover of Pauline

Cugnot, whom he afterwards married, and, in order to be near her, left

the “Bon Marche” and took an appointment in “The Ladies’ Paradise.” Au

Bonheur des Dames.

BAUGE (MADAME), wife of the preceding. See Pauline Cugnot. Au Bonheur

des Dames.

BAVOUX, a salesman in Octave Mouret’s shop. Au Bonheur des Dames.

BAZOUGE, an undertaker’s assistant who lived in an attic of the same

tenement-house as the Coupeaus and the Lorilleux. He was generally drunk

and made ribald jests about his dismal calling. It was he who buried

Gervaise Coupeau after she was found dead in an attic adjoining his own.

L’Assommoir.

BEAUCHAMP (FLORE), an artist’s model, who lived in Rue de Laval. She was

fresh in colouring, but too thin. L’Oeuvre.

BEAUDOIN, a friend of the Hamelins whom they had known at Beyrout, where

he lived. He promised to marry Caroline Hamelin after the death of her

husband, but instead of waiting for that event he obtained the hand of a

young and rich girl, the daughter of an English Consul. L’Argent.

BEAUDOIN, Captain of the 106th regiment of the line, commanded by

Colonel de Vineuil. He was educated at Saint-Cyr, and having a fine

tenor voice and good manners, along with Bonapartist principles, he was

early marked for advancement. With his men he was unpopular, and, not

caring for his profession, he did not readily adapt himself to the

necessities of war. In the march to the Meuse he lost his baggage, and

arrived at Sedan in a pitiable condition, his uniform soiled, his face

and hands dirty. In former days at Charleville he had been on intimate

terms with Gilberte Maginot, whom he now found at Sedan, married to

Jules Delaherche. Their former relations were renewed for the moment,

and next day Beaudoin rejoined his company, astonishing every one by

the neatness of his attire. At the attack on the Calvary d’Illy he

was severely wounded, and having been removed to the ambulance at

Delaherche’s house, his arm was amputated; but the hemorrhage had been

too great, and he did not survive. La Debacle.

BEAU-FRANCOIS (LE), chief of a band of brigands, whose terrible exploits

were still recounted at La Beauce. La Terre.

BEAURIVAGE (DUC DE), a character in _La Petite Duchesse_, a piece staged

by Fauchery at the Theatre des Varietes. The part was taken by Bosc.

Nana.

BEAUVILLIERS (COMTE CHARLES DE), a man of dissipated habits, who

succeeded to the immense fortune of the Beauvilliers, which he

completely squandered in a few years. He was killed in an accident of

the chase, some said by the vengeance of a keeper. They found later a

document signed by him in 1854 undertaking to pay ten thousand francs to

a girl named Leonie Cron. L’Argent.

BEAUVILLIERS (COMTESSE DE), an old lady who lived with her daughter

Alice in a house in the Rue Saint-Lazare, adjoining the Orviedo mansion.

The family had at one time possessed large estates, but these had all

gone, and the Comtesse and her daughter had barely sufficient to live

upon, though they endeavoured to keep up before their neighbours as

much as possible of their ancient state. Having made the acquaintance

of Saccard, the Comtesse invested a small sum in the Universal Bank,

increasing it from time to time until her whole means were involved. By

the failure of the bank she was entirely ruined, and, to complete the

catastrophe, Busch, who had become possessor of some papers compromising

the honour of her dead husband, took the opportunity of blackmailing

her. When she had handed over her jewels to him, she was left penniless.

L’Argent.

BEAUVILLIERS (ALICE), daughter of Comtesse de Beauvilliers. The

extravagance of her father had dissipated the family estates, and she

and her mother were left with barely sufficient to keep up appearances.

She was plain-looking, and had reached the age of twenty-five years

without any offers of marriage. It was, however, in the hope of

providing a suitable dowry for her, that the Comtesse invested her

money in the Universal Bank, with disastrous results. Alice, who had few

amusements, interested herself in charities, and frequently visited the

institutions founded by Princess d’Orviedo. On a visit to _L’Oeuvre du

Travail_ she was attacked and robbed of a small sum by Victor Saccard,

who was at that time an inmate. Her injuries were severe, and a serious

illness followed. The failure of the Universal Bank left her and her

mother in poverty. L’Argent.

BEAUVILLIERS (FERDINANDE DE), son of Comte Beauvilliers. He was for

a time the cause of anxiety to his mother on account of some youthful

extravagances, but early settled down, and having received a commission

in the Papal troops, served with distinction. He was delicate, however,

and died of fever in Rome. L’Argent.

BECKER, a jeweller in Paris. He supplied a set of sapphires for the

mistress of Comte de Muffat. Nana.

BECOT, a grocer in Rue Montorgueil. Having become a widower, he took

to dissolute courses, and his shop was gradually swallowed up, with its

dried vegetables, jars, and drawers of sweetstuff. Eventually the place

was sold up and Becot died of apoplexy soon afterwards. L’Oeuvre.

BECOT (IRMA), daughter of the preceding. After her father’s death she

went to live with an aunt, but soon afterwards ran off with a young

fellow who lived across the street. She did not remain long with him,

but, having a passion for artists, experienced in turn a caprice for

Fagerolles, Gagniere, and many others. A young and foolish Marquis

furnished a flat for her, and later she occupied a house in Rue de

Moscou, the rent of which was twenty thousand francs. In the end she

realized her dream of a princely house in the Avenue de Villiers;

the site was bought by one lover, the house built by another, and the

furniture provided by a third. But fortune did not alter her tastes;

behind the backs of her serious lovers she still retained her fancy

for Art, in the person of Henri Fagerolles, one of her early admirers.

L’Oeuvre.

BEC-SALE, alias BOIT-SANS-SOIF, a rivet-maker employed in the same

factory as Goujet. He drank enormous quantities of brandy, and was a

boon companion of Coupeau. On the occasion of Gervaise Coupeau’s first

visit to the factory to see her son Etienne, Bec-Sale entered into a

contest of strength with Goujet in which he was beaten. L’Assommoir.

BECU, gamekeeper and bell-ringer at Rognes, was a man of fifty years of

age who had at one time been in the army. He was an intense Bonapartist,

and pretended that he had met the Emperor. Himself a confirmed

drunkard, he was on friendly terms with Hyacinthe Fouan, whose poaching

expeditions he overlooked. La Terre.

BECU (LA), wife of the preceding, was on intimate terms with Hyacinthe

Fouan. Her chief amusement was to throw Celine Macqueron and Flore

Lengaigne against one another under the pretext of reconciling them.

Though she was not devout, she made ardent intercessions to Heaven to

reserve for her son a lucky number in the drawing for the conscription,

but, after the event, turned her anger against the Deity because her

prayers had not been answered. La Terre.

BECU (DELPHIN), son of the preceding, was a strong lad who, on leaving

school, went to work as a farm labourer. He was much averse to leaving

home, and, having drawn an unlucky number for the conscription, he

chopped off with a cleaver the first finger of his right hand, in order

that he might be unfit for service. La Terre.

BECU (MICHEL), uncle of Delphin. He died at Orleans. La Terre.

BEDORE, a hosier in Rue Gaillon, whose business was ruined by the

extension of “The Ladies’ Paradise.” Au Bonheur des Dames.

BEJUIN (LEON), a Member of the Corps Legislatif, and a supporter of

Eugene Rougon. He was proprietor of the Saint-Florent Cut-Glass Works.

“A very worthy fellow, votes straight, never speaks, is very patient and

waits contentedly till you think of him, but he is always on the spot

to take care that you don’t forget him.” He received the Cross of the

Legion of Honour after Rougon’s return to office, and an appointment as

Inspector. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

BEJUIN (MADAME), wife of the preceding. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

BELLOMBRE, a neighbour of Doctor Pascal at La Souleiade. He was a

retired Professor, sixty-six years of age, who lived in his little house

with no other company than his gardener, a man as old and crabbed as

himself. His interests were solely centred in himself, and his egotism

was a constant subject of irritation with Doctor Pascal. Le Docteur

Pascal.

BELLOQUE (LE PERE), the first art-master of Claude Lantier. A retired

infantry captain, with one arm, he had for a quarter of a century

taught drawing to the youths of Plassans, in one of the galleries of the

museum. L’Oeuvre.

BENARD, one of the tenants of the house in which Madame Coupeau carried

on her laundry business. Benard and his wife were of intemperate

habits, and few days passed without their fighting with one another.

L’Assommoir.

BERAUD DU CHATEL (M.) was the last representative of an old middle-class

family. A staunch Republican, he had grown old in the Magistracy, which

he resigned at the time of the _Coup d’Etat_. Since then he lived in

retirement in his house on the Ile Saint-Louis with his sister Madame

Aubertot and his young daughter Christine. His elder daughter Renee,

who was educated at a convent, was married to Aristide Saccard, and the

circumstances which led to her marriage came as a severe blow to the

stern old man. Though on nominally friendly terms with his daughter

after her marriage, he never visited her, but when she died he paid her

debts. La Curee.

BERAUD DU CHATEL (CHRISTINE), the second daughter of M. Beraud du

Chatel, and sister of Madame Renee Saccard. La Curee.

BERAUD DU CHATEL (RENEE). See Madame Renee Rougon, alias Saccard.

BERGASSE, a second-hand dealer in Plassans. He supplied the old

furniture bought by Madame Faujas. La Conquete de Plassans.

BERGERET (MADAME), concierge of the house at Plassy occupied by Helene

Grandjean. Une Page d’Amour.

BERLINGOT, a horse which belonged to M. Mechain and gained the Prix

d’Ispahan. Nana.

BERLOQUE, alias CHICOT, a miner who was killed by a landslip in the pit

at Voreux. Germinal.

BERNHEIM (LES FRERES), proprietors of the glass-works of Saint-Joseph

where Josserand was employed as cashier. Pot-Bouille.

BERTHIER (MADAME), was a friend of Madame Deberle, and took part in the

amateur theatricals arranged by that lady. Une Page d’Amour.

BERTHIER, authorized clerk to Mazaud, the stockbroker. L’Argent.

BERTHOU, the celebrated painter of _Nero in the Arena_. Claude Lantier

took lessons from him for six months, but their ideas were not in

sympathy, and repeatedly the master told Claude that he would never do

anything good. L’Oeuvre.

BERTRAND, a large dog which belonged to Sandoz. It barked furiously

at visitors, until it recognized a friend of its master, whom it would

greet with joyous welcome. L’Oeuvre.

BESNUS (CLARISSE), an actress at the Theatre des Varietes, where she

played the part of Iris in the _Blonde Venus_, and Geraldine in the

_Petite Duchesse_. She was mistress of Hector de la Faloise for a time.

Nana.

BESSIERE, station-master at Barentin. He saw the Roubauds in the Havre

express on the evening of the murder of President Grandmorin, and his

evidence confirmed their alibi. La Bete Humaine.

BEULIN-D’ORCHERE (M.) was a member of a legal family. After being public

prosecutor at Orleans and advocate-general at Rouen, he came to Paris as

counsellor at the Appeal Court, of which he afterwards became president.

His sister Veronique married Eugene Rougon. He was appointed first

president of the Court of Paris after Rougon’s return to office. Son

Excellence Eugene Rougon.

BEULIN-D’ORCHERE (VERONIQUE), a quiet, subdued woman about thirty-six

years of age, who lived with her brother and seldom went out except to

attend Low Mass at Saint-Sulpice. She married Eugene Rougon, to whom she

brought a considerable fortune. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

BIBI-LA-GRILLADE, the sobriquet of one of Coupeau’s fellow-workmen,

with whom he was on intimate terms. He was one of the party at Coupeau’s

wedding with Gervaise Macquart. L’Assommoir.

BIJARD, a drunken locksmith, who killed his wife by systematic

ill-usage. On the rare occasions when he worked, he always had a

bottle of alcohol beside him, from which he took large draughts every

half-hour. After the death of his wife, he transferred his cruelty to

his little daughter Lalie, who did not long survive. L’Assommoir.

BIJARD (MADAME) lived with her husband and their children in the same

tenement as the Coupeaus and Lorilleux. She was a hard-working woman who

did washing for Gervaise Coupeau’s laundry, but her husband, a drunken

brute, abused her to such an extent that she ultimately died of injuries

received at his hands, or, more accurately, feet. The poor woman, in

order to save her husband from the scaffold, said before she died that

she had hurt herself by falling on the edge of a tub. L’Assommoir.

BIJARD (LALIE), daughter of the preceding, a child of eight when her

mother died, had acted as the little mother of the family. “Without a

word said, quite of her own accord, she took the dead woman’s place, to

such an extent that her foolish brute of a father, to make the likeness

complete, battered about the daughter now as he had battered the mother

before. When he came in drunk, he felt the need of a woman to attack. He

did not even notice what a tiny little thing Lalie was; he hit her as he

would have hit a grown woman. He beat her shamelessly, he kicked her for

a yes or no; and she took it all with a resigned look in her beautiful

eyes, without a murmur. Then when her father was tired of kicking her

from corner to corner of the room, she waited until she had the strength

to pick herself up, and then went back to her work. It was part of her

daily task to be beaten.” As the result of this infamous treatment

the child died, but again the man unfortunately escaped punishment.

L’Assommoir.

BIJARD (HENRIETTE), second daughter of Bijard. She was five years old at

the time of her mother’s death. L’Assommoir.

BIJARD (JULES), third child of Bijard. When his mother died he was three

years old. L’Assommoir.

BIJOU, the pet dog of Nana. He excited the jealousy of Comte de Muffat.

Nana.

BILLECOQ (HERMINIE), a protegee of Madame Correur, who induced Eugene

Rougon to provide a dowry, in order that she might marry an officer who

had compromised her. The officer did not, however, fulfill his promise,

but went off with the dowry, of which he had obtained possession. Son

Excellence Eugene Rougon.

BLACHET, a deputy. He desired leave of absence. Son Excellence Eugene

Rougon.

BLAISOT, a banker at Paris. L’Argent.

BLANCHETTE, a cow which belonged to Lise and Francoise Fouan. La Terre.

BLERIOT (M. DE), prefect of the department in which Plassans is

situated. He accompanied Colonel Masson and the troops which crushed the

Republican rising in 1851. La Fortune des Rougon.

BLEUZE, a rope-walk at Montsou which was ruined by the miners’ strike.

Germinal.

BLOND (MARIA), a young girl of fifteen who had grown up on the pavements

of Paris. She frequented the restaurant kept by Laure Piedefer. Nana.

BOCHE (M.) the concierge of the large tenement-house in which resided

the Coupeaus, Lorilleux, and others. He and his wife were friendly with

the various tenants in turn, sometimes siding with one and sometimes

with another in the quarrels which so frequently arose. In the presence

of the landlord, of whom they were afraid, they assumed an air of great

importance, and affected not to know the tenants. They were present at

Gervaise Coupeau’s birthday party. L’Assommoir.

BOCHE (MADAME), wife of the preceding. L’Assommoir.

Nana informed Satin that Madame Boche is dead. Nana.

BOCHE (PAULINE), daughter of the preceding, was a girl of about the same

age as Nana Coupeau, whose companion she was in all kinds of mischief.

L’Assommoir.

BOCQUET (MADAME), mother of Clarisse. Pot-Bouille.

BOCQUET (CLARISSE), a woman on whom Duveyrier squandered large sums of

money. She ultimately gained such complete influence over him, and made

him so unhappy, that he attempted to commit suicide. Pot-Bouille.

BODIN (DOCTOR) was the regular medical attendant of Madame Helene

Grandjean and her daughter Jeanne. A sudden illness of Jeanne made it

necessary to call in Doctor Deberle, who subsequently met the older man

in consultation from time to time. Une Page d’Amour.

BOHAIN (MARQUIS DE), an elderly nobleman whose presence and manners were

of a kind to adorn a board of directors, and whose illustrious name was

of value on a prospectus. He was in consequence always in demand by new

companies. Since he began living by speculation, he and his wife had

been legally separated, so far as estate went, and he lived with her

only as a lodger, with nothing of his own except his clothes. “On two

occasions already he had refused to pay up what he owed; he pocketed as

long as he won, but as soon as he lost he did not pay.” At the request

of Saccard, the Marquis became a director of the Universal Bank. When

the great gamble in the shares of the bank began, the Marquis followed

his usual plan; having played through Mazaud for a rise, he refused to

pay his losses, though he had gained two million francs through Jacoby,

through whom he had played for a fall. L’Argent.

BONGRAND, a great artist, painter of the _Village Wedding_. He was a

stout man, forty-five years old, with an expressive face and long grey

hair; recently he had become a member of the Institute and an officer

of the Legion of Honour. The grandson of a farmer in the Beauce country,

the son of a man risen to the middle classes, with peasant blood in his

veins, owing his culture to a mother of very artistic tastes, he was

rich, had no need to sell his pictures, and retained many tastes and

opinions of Bohemian life. His masterpiece, the _Village Wedding_, had

brought about a revolution in art only parallel with Courbet, and he

was acknowledged as Master by all the artists of the young school. The

picture remained, however, his greatest work, though he objected to have

it so designated, in the fear that it might be thought his powers were

failing. A later picture called the _Village Funeral_ was intended to

surpass it, but failed to arrest attention, and was indeed only an echo

of the earlier work. He was one of the few mourners at the funeral of

Claude Lantier. L’Oeuvre.

BONHOMME, the horse which for a quarter of a century had carried Doctor

Pascal on his visits to his patients. Latterly the old Bonhomme became

blind, and was no longer being driven, but being much loved by his

master, was tenderly cared for until his death. Le Docteur Pascal.

BONNAUD, formerly head of the counting-house of a railway company.

Pot-Bouille.

BONNEHON (MADAME), sister of President Grandmorin. She was married to a

wealthy manufacturer, who left her a widow at the age of thirty. In the

mansion-house of Doinville, which belonged to her, she led a pleasant

life, not without occasional affairs of the heart, but so correct in

every way that she remained a leader of society in Rouen. She was a

handsome woman, and in spite of her fifty years still retained much

of her former charm. Among her friends she included Chaumette and

Desbazeilles, both officials of the court at Rouen. Madame Bonnehon

had a good opinion of the Roubauds, and did not approve of the position

taken up by her niece Berthe regarding the legacy left to them by

President Grandmorin. For the honour of her family she desired that the

inquiry as to the murder of the President should not be continued. La

Bete Humaine.

BONNEMORT, the sobriquet of Vincent Maheu. His family had been miners

for generations, and he himself had worked in the pit since he was eight

years old. After forty-five years of work underground he was given a

post as fireman, and for five years worked each night at the Voreux pit

for a wage of forty sous. He suffered greatly from rheumatism, which

eventually turned into a form of dropsy, while his mind became affected

to some extent by the sufferings occasioned by the great strike which

took place at Voreux and other neighbouring pits. After the terrible

scenes at Montsou, he could only sit in his chair before the fireless

grate, with fixed and unseeing eyes, but in a sudden accession of

madness he found strength to strangle Cecile Gregoire, who chanced to be

left alone with him for a few moments. Germinal.

BONNET. See De Mareuil.

BORDENAVE, manager of the Theatre des Varietes. He was a coarse man,

with cynical views as to the stage, and cared nothing as to the means by

which a popular success might be secured. Though he was well aware that

Nana could neither sing nor act, he saw that her beauty was of a type

likely to attract the Parisian public, and accordingly gave her the

chief part in the _Blonde Venus_. It was he who showed H.R.H. The Prince

of Scots the honours of “behind the scenes.” Nana.

BORGNE-DE-JOUY, one of the band of brigands which was led by

Beau-Francois. He betrayed his companions. La Terre.

BOSC, an old actor at the Theatre des Varietes, where he played the

part of Jupiter in the _Blonde Venus_, and the Duc de Beaurivage in

the _Petite Duchesse_. He had a good-natured but somewhat drunken

appearance. He treated women with disdain, and the idea that any man

should trouble himself about them raised in him the only indignation of

which he was capable. Nana.

BOUCHARD (M.), head-clerk in the office of the Minister of Interior.

His house was the first thrown open to Eugene Rougon on his arrival

in Paris. Later on, Bouchard inherited his father’s property, and at

fifty-four years of age married Adele Desvignes. He was appointed head

of a department after Rougon’s return to office. Son Excellence Eugene

Rougon.

BOUCHARD (MADAME), wife of the preceding, was the daughter of a

respectable family at Rambouillet. M. Bouchard “had been anxious to

marry a young lady from the provinces, because he made a point of having

a steady wife. However, the fair and adorable little Adele, with her

innocent blue eyes, had in less than four years proved to be a great

deal more than a mere flirt.” Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

BOULAND(MADAME), the nurse who attended Madame Lazare Chanteau. La Joie

de Vivre.

BOUM, a horse which belonged to M. Gasc and ran in the Grand Prix de

Paris. Nana.

BOURDELAIS, an upper clerk in the office of the Minister of Finance. Au

Bonheur des Dames.

BOURDELAIS (MADAME) was a short, fair woman of thirty, with a delicate

nose and sparkling eyes, who had married a chief clerk in the Treasury.

She was an old schoolfellow of Madame Desforges. Belonging to a good

middle-class family, she managed her household and three children with

an excellent knowledge of practical life. Au Bonheur des Dames.

BOURDEU (M.), formerly Prefect of the Drome, but turned out of office

by the Revolution of 1848. Politically he was a Legitimist, and he was

a friend of M. Rastoil, at whose house his party was in the habit of

meeting. At one time he was suggested as a likely candidate for the

representation of Plassans, but he retired after Delangre had been

brought forward through the machinations of Abbe Faujas. Madame de

Condamin promised him, however, that through her influence he would be

rewarded with a prefecture. La Conquete de Plassans.

BOURDONCLE, the son of a poor farmer near Limoges, started at “The

Ladies’ Paradise” at the same time as Octave Mouret. He was very active

and intelligent, but he lacked that touch of genius possessed by his

companion, before whom he had bowed from the first. Acting on Mouret’s

advice, he put all his savings into the business, and, after passing

through the various grades, he became in time one of the six persons who

assisted Mouret to govern “The Ladies’ Paradise,” exercising a general

control of the whole staff. Au Bonheur des Dames.

BOURGAIN-DESFEUILLES (GENERAL). During the war of 1870 he was at the

head of a brigade of infantry, of which the 106th regiment of the

line, commanded by Colonel de Vineuil, formed part. Like so many other

officers he proved himself incompetent, and after the capitulation he,

alone among the generals, took advantage of the pretext of illness to

sign an undertaking to the Germans not to take any further part in the

war. La Debacle.

BOURGUIGNON, a master zinc-worker from whom Coupeau got employment.

L’Assommoir.

BOUROCHE (SURGEON-MAJOR), of the 106th regiment of the line, commanded

by Colonel Vineuil. During the battle of Sedan he installed an

ambulance in a factory belonging to Jules Delaherche, where he was soon

overwhelmed with work. With untiring energy he performed one operation

after another until the place became like a slaughter-house. Behind

a clump of trees were thrown the bodies of the dead, and the limbs

amputated from the living. Depressed for a moment by the vastness of his

task, Bouroche nearly lost heart, exclaiming, “What is the use?” but

his instincts of discipline recalled him to work, and he continued to

operate even after the supply of chloroform was exhausted. During

the insurrection at Paris he served with the army of Versailles, but

consented to treat one of his old soldiers, Maurice Levasseur, who had

been mortally wounded in the ranks of the Commune. La Debacle.

BOURRAS, an old man who sold umbrellas and walking-sticks in a

tumble-down house which adjoined “The Ladies’ Paradise.” His business

was ruined by the growth of that concern, and he expressed bitter hatred

towards Octave Mouret, its proprietor. Denise Baudu rented a room from

him after her dismissal from “The Ladies’ Paradise,” and he showed much

kindness to her and Pepe, her young brother. He refused several offers

by Mouret, who wished to purchase his lease in order to extend his

own shop, and ultimately, having become bankrupt, was forced to leave

without a penny. Au Bonheur des Dames.

BOURRETTE (ABBE), one of the clergy of the church of Saint-Saturnin at

Plassans. He did duty as vicar during the illness of Abbe Compan,

and had been led to expect the reversion of the appointment. Pressure

brought to bear on Bishop Rousselot led to the selection of Abbe Faujas,

and Bourrette was put off with vague promises for the future. He was

a simple-minded, amiable man, who accepted his disappointment without

murmuring, and continued on friendly terms with Faujas. La Conquete de

Plassans.

BOUTAREL, a doctor who attended Nana. He was a handsome man, still

young, who had a large practice in the demi-monde. Always gay and

laughing, he was popular with his patients, but took care not to

compromise himself with any of them. Nana.

BOUTAREL (MADAME), a lady who lived in the country and economized for

months at a time, only coming to Paris occasionally. When she came, she

made straight for “The Ladies’ Paradise” and spent all her savings in an

afternoon. Au Bonheur des Dames.

BOUTELOUP (LOUIS), a workman at the Voreux pit. He lodged with Madame

Levaque, whose lover he became. Germinal.

BOUTEROUE (HILARION), second child of Vincent Bouteroue, and grandson of

Marianne Fouan (La Grande). The latter had never forgiven the marriage

of her daughter, and would do nothing to assist the two children after

the death of their parents. Hilarion, who was of weak intellect, was

looked after from childhood by his sister Palmyre, who wore herself out

in his service. After Palmyre’s death his grandmother gave him shelter,

but took advantage of his great strength by employing him at work of the

hardest kind. Ultimately Hilarion committed a serious assault on the

old woman, and in defending herself she struck him on the head with a

bill-hook, inflicting a wound from which he died. La Terre.

BOUTEROUE (PALMYRE), sister of the preceding, worked like a slave to

support her brother, and died completely worn out by toil and hardship

at the age of thirty-five. La Terre.

BOUTEROUE (VINCENT), a poor peasant, whom the daughter of the Pechards

insisted on marrying despite the opposition of her mother. They both

died of want, leaving two children, Palmyre and Hilarion. La Terre.

BOUTEROUE (MADAME VINCENT), see Mademoiselle Pechard.

BOUTHEMENT PERE, a shopkeeper at Montpellier, who sent his son to Paris

to learn business. He was disgusted to find that the simple salesman in

Paris could earn three times as much as he himself could make, and he

was stupefied on seeing the vast emporium in which his son served. Au

Bonheur des Dames.

BOUTHEMONT, manager of the silk department at “The Ladies’ Paradise.”

Noisy and too fond of company, he was not much good for sales, but for

buying he had not his equal. Nearly every month he went to Lyons, living

at the best hotels, with authority to treat the manufacturers with

open purse. He had, moreover, liberty to buy what he liked, provided he

increased the sales of his department in a certain proportion settled

beforehand; and it was on this proportion that his commission was based.

Eventually, however, his position was undermined, and Madame Desforges,

having become jealous of Mouret, and wishing to injure him, introduced

Bouthemont to Baron Hartmann, who lent him money to start an opposition

establishment called “The Four Seasons.” This was burned down three

weeks after its opening, but the enormous loss was covered by insurance.

Au Bonheur des Dames.

BOUTIGNY, Lazare Chanteau’s partner in the chemical business, into which

he put thirty thousand francs. After the failure of the venture, he took

over the whole concern, and began to manufacture potash from seaweed by

the old methods. He was very successful in this, and by degrees began to

employ on a small scale the scientific systems which had before proved

disastrous. In a few years he amassed a considerable fortune. La Joie de

Vivre.

BOUTIN, a retired artist’s-model who kept a studio in Rue de la

Huchette, which was frequented by Claude Lantier, who went there for

purposes of study. A subscription of twenty francs enabled young artists

to have the free use of models. L’Oeuvre.

BOUTIN, an old epileptic attended by Doctor Pascal at Plassans. He died

in one of his fits. Le Docteur Pascal.

BOVES (COMTE DE), Inspector-General of the Imperial Stud, a

tall, handsome man who had married his wife for her great beauty.

Notwithstanding this, he carried on a liaison with Madame Guibal, whose

demands upon his purse were so heavy that he was obliged to economize in

his own establishment. Au Bonheur des Dames.

BOVES (COMTESSE DE), wife of the preceding, was a beautiful woman of

about forty years of age. She was a constant customer at “The Ladies’

Paradise,” but as her husband kept her very short of money, was seldom

able to buy anything. Eventually temptation proved too strong for her,

and she was caught in the act of stealing some valuable lace. The matter

was, however, kept quiet, and a scandal avoided. Au Bonheur des Dames.

BOVES (BLANCHE DE), daughter of the preceding. She usually accompanied

her mother on her shopping expeditions to “The Ladies’ Paradise,” and,

it is to be feared, was not unaware of the theft of lace by her. She

married Paul de Vallagnosc. Au Bonheur des Dames.

BRAMAH, an English horse which won the Grand Prix de Paris. It belonged

to Lord Reading. Nana.

BRAMBILLA (SIGNOR), a Venetian political refugee, and a friend of

Comtesse Balbi. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

BRETIGNY (COMTESSE DE). Auguste Lantier, reading the news from a

journal to his friends Coupeau and Mes-Bottes, announced that the eldest

daughter of the Comtesse de Bretigny was to be married to Baron de

Valencay, aide-de-camp to His Majesty the Emperor. L’Assommoir.

BRETON-LE-CUL-SEC, one of the band of brigands led by Beau-Francois. La

Terre.

BRICHET, the father of Fortune, Rosalie Bambousse’s lover. He was a

little man, withered by age, and with a cringing manner. He tilled a

small piece of stony land near Les Artaud, and was very poor. La Faute

de l’Abbe Mouret.

BRICHET (MADAME), wife of the preceding, a tall, lachrymose woman, was

the one solitary devotee of the village of Les Artaud. Whenever she

had been to communion, she hung about the parsonage, knowing that the

priest’s servant always kept a couple of loaves for her from the last

baking. La Faute de l’Abbe Mouret.

BRICHET (FORTUNE), son of the preceding, was a largely built,

bold-looking young fellow of about twenty-five years of age, who had

been the lover of Rosalie Bambousse for some time before Abbe Mouret was

able to induce the girl’s parents to consent to her marriage. La Faute

de l’Abbe Mouret.

BRICHET (VINCENT), brother of Fortune, was the boy who assisted Abbe

Mouret in serving Mass. He was an idle young scamp, and constantly

incurred the chastisement of Brother Archangias, who predicted a bad end

for him on account of his friendship for Catherine Bambousse. La Faute

de l’Abbe Mouret.

BRIQUET, a peasant of Rognes. His son drew the number 13 for the

conscription. La Terre.

BRON (MADAME), concierge at the Theatre des Varietes. She sold liquor to

the employees at the theatre. Nana.

BRU, an old house-painter who lived in a garret in the same

tenement-house as the Coupeaus, where he starved with cold and hunger.

He had lost three sons in the Crimea, and he lived on what he could

pick up, now that for two years past he could hold a brush no longer.

Gervaise Coupeau showed him some kindness and asked him to her famous

birthday party. Things having gone from bad to worse with him, he was

found one morning lying dead in his garret. L’Assommoir.

BRULE (LA), mother of La Pierronne. She was the widow of a miner who had

been killed in the pit, and lived with her daughter at the settlement

known as the Deux-Cent-Quarante. A terrible old woman, frantic to

revenge on the masters the death of her husband, she was the leader in

the outrages perpetrated by the strikers in the Montsou district. It was

she who gave the signal for the attack on the troops, but at the first

volley fired by the soldiers she fell back stiff and crackling like

a bundle of dry faggots, stammering one last oath in the gurgling of

blood. Germinal.

BRUNET (LES), a bourgeois family in the new quarter of Plassans, of whom

Madame Felicite Rougon was jealous. La Fortune des Rougon.

BUDIN (LES), peasants of Rognes, whose daughter was said to have been

cured of a fever by Sourdeau, who cut a live pigeon in two, and applied

the halves to her head. La Terre.

BUQUIN-LECOMTE, a deputy at the Corps Legislatif. He desired leave of

absence. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

BURGAT, a blacksmith, one of the band of insurgents which entered

Plassans in December, 1851. La Fortune des Rougon.

BURNE, an English jockey who rode a horse called Spirit in the Grand

Prix de Paris. Nana.

BUSCH, a man of German origin who came to Paris, and engaged in business

of a shady character on the fringe of the Bourse. “In addition to usury

and a secret traffic in jewels and precious stones, he particularly

occupied himself with the purchase of ‘bad debts.’” In pursuit of

creditors he was unsparing, and his methods were not infrequently of the

nature of blackmail. Jordon, Madame de Beauvilliers, and Saccard himself

fell into his power, though Saccard refused to submit to extortion.

Another of Busch’s lines of business was the purchase of depreciated

shares and debentures, thousands of which he collected together,

selling them to bankrupts who found difficulty in accounting for real or

imaginary losses. His one redeeming feature was his extraordinary love

for his brother Sigismond, whom he nursed with the greatest care until

his death. L’Argent.

BUSCH (SIGISMOND), brother of Busch, the money-lender, was an able man,

educated at a German University, and speaking several languages. He had

met Carl Marx at Cologne in 1849, and became a contributor to the _New

Rhenish Gazette_. “From that time he professed Socialism with an ardent

faith, giving his entire being to the idea of an approaching social

renovation, which would assure the happiness of the poor and humble.”

After his master was banished from Germany, Sigismond, engrossed in

his dreams, was so careless of his material affairs that he would have

perished of hunger had his brother not taken him to live with him. From

this time the elder Busch, ferocious as a wolf towards a debtor, looked

after his brother with almost maternal care, and was heart-broken when

Sigismond died of consumption a few years later. L’Argent.

BUTEAU, second son of Pere Fouan; brother of Hyacinthe and of Fanny

Delhomme; cousin and husband of Lise Mouche; father of Jules and Laure.

From early youth he was of violent temper, and having drawn a lucky

number in the conscription, he went away from home, and got work, first

at the farm of La Borderie and later at La Chamade. He was a true son

of the soil, knowing nothing of the world beyond the narrow district in

which he was born, and possessing that fierce passion for the land

which is the characteristic of so many peasants. When Pere Fouan made a

division of his property among his family, Buteau was dissatisfied with

the lot which he drew, and refused to take possession of it. In this

attitude he persisted for two years, until the formation of a new road

gave a greatly increased value to his share. In the same way he refused

to marry his cousin Lise Mouche, by whom he already had a son, until,

after her father’s death, she had inherited a share of his property.

Buteau’s chief anxiety then became to prevent a division of this land

between his wife and her sister Francoise, and when, after the girl’s

marriage to Jean Macquart, this became imminent, he and his wife

eventually murdered her. His father had been a witness of the crime, and

as his silence was essential, he too was cruelly done to death. After

these terrible events Buteau was able to sleep calmly, for the land, his

overwhelming passion in life, was his beyond possibility of dispute. La

Terre.

BUTEAU (MADAME), wife of the preceding. See Lise Mouche. La Terre.

BUTEAU (JULES), the eldest child of the preceding, who were not married

till three years after his birth. At nine years old he was the sole

friend of old Fouan, but he soon came to neglect the old man. La Terre.

BUTEAU (LAURE), the second child of the Buteaus. At four years old

she had already the hard eyes of her family, and was hostile to her

grandfather, old Fouan. By jealousy she detached from him her brother

Jules. La Terre.

C

CABASSE, a franc-tireur of the woods of Dieulet. He was the favourite

companion of Ducat, and along with Guillaume Sambuc formed part of the

band which so greatly embarrassed the Prussians in the neighbourhood of

Sedan. He took part in the execution of Goliath Steinberg, the German

spy. La Debacle.

CABIN (MADAME), the woman who looked after the bedrooms occupied by the

saleswomen in “The Ladies’ Paradise.” In consideration of small bribes,

she allowed numerous breaches of the strict rules of the establishment.

Au Bonheur des Dames.

CABIROCHE (SIMONNE), an actress at the Theatre des Varietes. She was the

daughter of a furniture dealer in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine, and had

been educated at a boarding-school in order that she might become a

governess. She played the part of Isabelle in the _Petite Duchesse_.

Nana.

CABUCHE, a quarryman at Becourt, who lived alone in a hut in the middle

of the forest. He was condemned to five years’ imprisonment for having

killed a man in a tavern brawl, but on account of his good conduct was

liberated at the end of four years. From that time he was avoided by

every one, and lived like a savage in the woods. Louisette, the younger

daughter of Madame Misard, who was then fourteen years old, met him one

day in the forest, and a strange friendship was formed between them, the

rough man almost adoring this child, who alone was not afraid to speak

to him. The girl afterwards went as a servant to Madame Bonnehon, but

one evening Cabuche found her at his door, half mad with fright and on

the verge of brain fever. He nursed her tenderly, but she died a few

days later. The conduct of President Grandmorin was believed to be the

cause of Louisette’s flight from Doinville, and Cabuche was overheard to

say in ungovernable rage that he would “bleed the pig.” This remark led

Denizet, the examining magistrate, to attribute to him the murder of

the President, which was committed soon afterwards by the Roubauds,

and still later he had the misfortune to be found beside the body of

Severine Roubaud, who had been murdered by Jacques Lantier. He was

found guilty of the two crimes, neither of which he committed, and was

sentenced to imprisonment for life. It was Cabuche’s wagon, loaded with

huge blocks of stone, that Flore stopped in front of an express train in

order to cause an accident. La Bete Humaine.

CADET-CASSIS, the sobriquet of Coupeau. L’Assommoir.

CADINE, a young girl who when only two years old was found by Madame

Chantemesse and adopted by her. She was brought up along with Marjolin,

and the two became inseparable companions and lovers. When she was

eleven years old she set up as a dealer in birds’ food, but in a year or

two became a flower-seller. After the accident to Marjolin by which his

intellect was affected, Cadine looked after him, and the two were seldom

found apart. Le Ventre de Paris.

CAFFIN (ABBE), the predecessor of Abbe Mouret as cure at Les Artaud. He

was originally from Normandy, and had a large face which always seemed

laughing. His history was bad, and he had been sent in disgrace to this

hot and dusty corner of Provence. La Faute de l’Abbe Mouret.

CAMPARDON (ACHILLE), an architect, in whose house Octave Mouret boarded

when he first came to Paris. His views on religion were somewhat

free, but having been appointed diocesan architect he gradually became

orthodox, though this did not prevent him from carrying on an intrigue

with Gasparine, his wife’s cousin, who ultimately came to live with the

family. Pot-Bouille.

CAMPARDON (MADAME), wife of the preceding, nee Rose Domergue. Born at

Plassans, she was an old friend of Madame Mouret, and when Octave Mouret

came to Paris he boarded with the Campardons. After the birth of her

child, Madame Campardon was an invalid, and was obliged to spend much

of her time in bed, amusing herself by reading the works of Dickens.

She tacitly accepted the liaison between her husband and Gasparine, her

cousin, whom she ultimately asked to live with the family and manage the

household affairs. Pot-Bouille.

CAMPARDON (ANGELE), daughter of the preceding. She was brought up at

home by her parents, in order that she might remain ignorant of

the realities of life, but intercourse with the servants in a large

tenement-house early developed her unnatural precocity. Pot-Bouille.

CAMPENON, an incapable person to whom M. de Marsy gave a post as

prefect, which Eugene Rougon had promised to Du Poizat. Son Excellence

Eugene Rougon.

CAMY-LAMOTTE, secretary to the Minister of Justice, an office of great

influence. It was his duty to prepare the list of promotions, and he was

in constant communication with the Tuileries. He was a handsome man, who

started his career as a substitute; but through his connections and his

wife he had been elected deputy and made grand officer of the Legion of

Honour. In examining the papers of President Grandmorin, he discovered

the identity of the murderers, but knowing the probability of serious

scandal arising in the event of public inquiry, he said nothing, and

later, struck by the courage and charm of Severine Roubaud, who threw

herself on his protection, he gave instructions that all proceedings

were to be stopped. He rewarded Denizet, the examining magistrate, with

a decoration and the promise of early promotion. La Bete Humaine.

CANIVET, an old peasant, of whom Zephyrin Lacour announced the death to

Rosalie Pichon. Une Page d’Amour.

CARNAVANT (MARQUIS DE), a nobleman of Plassans. Said to have been

intimate with the mother of Felicite Puech during the early period of

her married life. He visited Pierre Rougon and his wife occasionally,

and after their retirement from business he interested them in politics.

La Fortune des Rougon.

CAROLINE, an artificial-flower maker employed by Madame Titreville. She

was very unhappy at home. L’Assommoir.

CAROLINE (MADAME). See Caroline Hamelin.

CAROUBLE, a baker at Montsou. His business was threatened by the

competition of Maigrat. Germinal.

CASIMIR, a liquor-dealer on the road to Montsou. Germinal.

CASSOUTE, an inhabitant of Plassans, who formed one of the group of

insurgents which accompanied Antoine Macquart to the Rougons’ house. He

was left there to signal the return of Pierre Rougon, but not being

very intelligent, allowed himself to be sent by Rougon to the Town Hall,

where he was arrested. La Fortune des Rougon.

CATHERINE, servant to Granoux. She talked for a long time before letting

in Pierre Rougon and Roudier, who came to seek her master to save

Plassans. La Fortune des Rougon.

CAUCHE, the commissary of police attached to the railway station at

Havre. He was a former officer who considered his present occupation as

practically a sinecure, spending much of his time at the cafe. He was a

confirmed gambler, who could lose or win without change of expression. A

room on the first floor of the Cafe du Commerce was his usual haunt, and

there Roubaud frequently spent half the night playing cards with him.

Later, it fell to him to arrest Roubaud on the charge of murdering

President Grandmorin. La Bete Humaine.

CAZENOVE (DOCTOR), a man of fifty-four years of age, of a vigorous and

lean habit, who after thirty years’ service in the navy settled down

at Arromanches, where an uncle of his had left him a house. He affected

scepticism of the power of medicine, but was unremitting in the care of

his patients. Among the earliest of these was Madame Chanteau, and

he became on intimate terms with the family, for some time acting as

trustee to Pauline Quenu. La Joie de Vivre.

CECILE (MADEMOISELLE), daughter of a butcher in the neighbourhood of the

_Halles Centrales_. Le Ventre de Paris.

CELESTE, lady’s maid and confidante of Madame Renee Saccard. La Curee.

CELESTINE, a friend of Clemence. She was neurotic, and had a horror of

the hair of cats, seeing it everywhere, and even turning her tongue in

the belief that some of it had got into her mouth. L’Assommoir.

CESAR, a bull at the farm of La Borderie. La Terre.

CHADEUIL (MADAME), a milliner in the Rue Sainte-Anne. Octave Mouret’s

shop, “The Ladies’ Paradise,” ruined her within two years. Au Bonheur

des Dames.

CHAINE, the companion of Mahoudeau, the sculptor. He was born at

Saint-Firmin, a village about six miles from Plassans, where he served

as a cowboy until he was drawn in the conscription. Unfortunately for

him, a gentleman of the district who admired the walking-stick handles

which he carved out of roots with his knife, persuaded Chaine that he

was a rustic genius, and with extreme foolishness persuaded him to go

in for painting. Having forty pounds, he went to Paris, where his small

fortune lasted him for a year. Then, as he had only twenty francs left,

he took up his quarters with his friend Mahoudeau. He had no talent,

but had a certain skill in copying pictures with extreme exactness.

The relations of Chaine and Mahoudeau with Mathilde Jabouille led to a

coldness between the two friends, and ultimately they ceased to be on

speaking terms, though they continued to live together, and even to

sleep in the same bed. Some time afterwards Chaine gave up art, and

started a booth at country fairs, in which he ran a wheel-of-fortune

for trifling prizes. The booth was decorated with some of his alleged

masterpieces. L’Oeuvre.

CHAMBOUVARD, a celebrated sculptor. He was said to be the son of a

veterinary surgeon of Amiens, and at forty-five had already produced

twenty masterpieces. He had, however, a complete lack of critical

acumen, and was unable to distinguish between the most glorious

offspring of his hands and the detestably grotesque figures which he

happened to put together now and then. At one _Salon_ he exhibited a

_Sower_, admirable in every way, while at another he showed an execrable

_Reaping Woman_, so bad that it seemed like a hoax; but he was no less

pleased with the later work, feeling sure that he had turned out yet

another masterpiece. L’Oeuvre.

CHAMPION, a master hatter at Montrouge. Auguste Lantier pretended to

have left his employment because they had not the same political views.

L’Assommoir.

CHAMPION, a retired sergeant, who was afterwards delivery manager at

“The Ladies’ Paradise.” Au Bonheur des Dames.

CHANTEAU PERE, came originally from the south of France, beginning

his life as a journeyman carpenter. He created a considerable timber

business at Caen, but being somewhat daring in his speculation, he left

it rather embarrassed at the time of his death. La Joie de Vivre.

CHANTEAU (M.), a cousin of M. Quenu, by whom he was nominated guardian

of his daughter Pauline Quenu. On the death of his father, he succeeded

to the timber business at Caen. Being an inactive man, unaspiring and

careful, he contented himself with putting his affairs on a safe basis,

and living on a moderate but sure profit. He married Eugenie de la

Vigniere, who was an ambitious woman and hoped to rouse his indolent

nature. Her schemes were, however, frustrated by the ill-health of her

husband, who suffered from gout to such a degree that he ultimately

sold his business to Devoine, and retired to Bonneville, where he had

a house. His sufferings from gout gradually became more and more severe

until he was a complete invalid. His ward Pauline Quenu showed him much

kindness, and the Abbe Horteur played draughts with him regularly. La

Joie de Vivre.

Until the end of his life he was taken care of by Pauline. Le Docteur

Pascal.

CHANTEAU (MADAME), wife of the preceding, nee Eugenie de la Vigniere,

was the orphan of one of the ruined squireens of the Cotentin. An

ambitious woman, she hoped to induce her husband to overcome his

indolent nature, but her plans were upset by the ill-health into which

he fell, and she transferred to her son her hopes for the family’s rise

in life. From this source she had nothing but disappointment, as one

after another of Lazare’s schemes failed. To enable him to get money to

start his chemical works, she encouraged the idea of marriage between

him and Pauline Quenu, her husband’s ward, who thereupon lent him thirty

thousand francs. Little by little, Madame Chanteau got possession for

the family use of nearly all Pauline’s fortunes, but with each fresh

loan her feelings towards the girl became more embittered until her

affection for her had turned to hate. From this time, she discouraged

her son’s marriage with Pauline, and endeavoured to turn his thoughts

towards Louise Thibaudier, who had a considerable fortune. She died of

dropsy after a short illness. La Joie de Vivre.

CHANTEAU (LAZARE), born 1844, son of M. Chanteau, was educated at the

college of Caen, where he took his bachelor’s degree. He was undecided

as to what profession he would adopt, and for some time his inclination

turned towards music. Under the influence of Pauline Quenu he decided on

medicine, and went to Paris, where at first he made good progress in his

studies. Unfortunately he tired of this, and led a life of extravagance

and dissipation, failing to pass his examinations. Having chanced to

make the acquaintance of Herbelin, a celebrated chemist, Lazare entered

his laboratory as an assistant. From him he got the idea of turning

seaweed to profitable account by the extraction of chemicals by a new

method. With a view to the commercial employment of this process he

borrowed thirty thousand francs from Pauline Quenu, and entered into

partnership with an old college friend named Boutigny who invested

a similar sum in the business. Lazare was quite carried away by his

enthusiasm, and the works were built on much too large a scale, the cost

greatly exceeding the original estimates. More money was required, and a

marriage having already been arranged between Lazare and Pauline Quenu,

she at once lent him another ten thousand francs. Some slight success

was at first attained, but this only led to fresh extravagances in the

way of apparatus, and before long a hundred thousand francs of Pauline’s

money had been expended. By this time it was evident that the process

could not be worked on a commercial scale, and Lazare, utterly

discouraged, handed over his share to Boutigny for a trifling sum. A

scheme for the protection of Bonneville against the inroads of the sea

was the next subject to attract him, and he entered into it with his

usual enthusiasm. More money was, of course, required, and, as before,

this was found by Pauline. Failure again met his efforts; the barricade

was washed away by the first high sea. All along Lazare had been subject

to fits of morbid depression, accompanied by a frenzied fear of death,

and after the death of his mother this mental disturbance became even

more acute. The marriage with Pauline had been put off on one excuse or

another, and ultimately she saw that his affections had been transferred

to Louise Thibaudier. With noble self-sacrifice, she released him from

his engagement, and his marriage to Louise followed. He went to Paris

as manager of an insurance company, but soon tiring of business, he

returned to Bonneville, where he lived so tormented by the fear of death

that life itself had little charm for him. La Joie de Vivre.

Having become a widower, he left his son with Pauline Quenu, and went to

America to seek his fortune. Le Docteur Pascal.

CHANTEAU (MADAME LAZARE), wife of the preceding. See Louise Thibaudier.

La Joie de Vivre.

CHANTEAU (PAUL), the infant son of Lazare Chanteau. La Joie de Vivre.

CHANTECAILLE (i.e. SINGSMALL), an usher at the college of Plassans.

He was so good-natured that he allowed the pupils to smoke when out

walking. L’Oeuvre.

CHANTEGREIL, a poacher, who was sent to the galleys for shooting a

gendarme. He was the father of Miette. La Fortune des Rougon.

CHANTEGREIL (MARIE), known as Miette, born 1838, daughter of

Chantegreil, the poacher, who was sentenced to the galleys for murder.

She went to live with her aunt, the wife of Rebufat, farmer at Plassans.

Here she met Silvere Mouret, and an idyllic love affair followed. When

Silvere joined the Republican Insurrection in 1861, Miette, fired by his

enthusiasm, accompanied him, and carried the banner of revolt. In the

attack by the regular troops, which soon followed, she fell mortally

wounded. La Fortune des Rougon.

CHANTEGREIL (EULALIE). See Madame Eulalie Rebufat.

CHANTEMESSE (MADAME), a customer of Madame Francois, the

market-gardener. It was she who brought up the two foundling children,

Marjolin and Cadine. Le Ventre de Paris.

CHANTEREAU (MADAME), wife of an ironmaster. She was a cousin of the

Fougerays, and a friend of the Muffats. With Madame du Joncquoy

and Madame Hugon she gave an air of severe respectability to the

drawing-room of Comtesse Sabine de Muffat. Her husband owned a foundry

in Alsace, where war with Germany was feared, and she caused much

amusement to her friends by expressing the opinion that Bismarck would

make war with France and would conquer. Nana.

CHARBONNEL (M.), a retired oil-merchant of Plassans. His cousin

Chevassu, a lawyer, died leaving his fortune of five hundred thousand

francs to the Sisters of the Holy Family. Charbonnel, being next heir,

contested the will on the ground of undue influence; and the Sisterhood

having petitioned the Council of State to authorize the payment of the

bequest to them, he went to Paris, accompanied by his wife, in order to

secure the influence of Eugene Rougon. The matter dragged on for some

months, and was then indefinitely delayed by Rougon’s resignation of

the Presidency of the Council of State. After Rougon’s appointment as

Minister of the Interior, he induced the Council of State to refuse the

petition of the Sisterhood, and M. Charbonnel accordingly succeeded to

the estate. Subsequently the Charbonnels accused the Sisters of having

removed some of Chevassu’s silver plate, and Rougon ordered the police

to make a search in the convent. This caused a scandal in the town, and

brought the Charbonnels, as well as Rougon, into popular disfavour. Son

Excellence Eugene Rougon.

CHARBONNEL (MADAME), wife of the preceding. She accompanied her husband

to Paris to assist him in looking after their interests in the estate of

his cousin Chevassu. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

CHARDON (ABBE), the candidate favoured by Abbe Fenil for the vacancy in

the church of Saint-Saturnin at Plassans. La Conquete de Plassans.

CHARDON (MADAME), a protegee of Madame Melanie Correur. The State having

refused to accept some furnishings supplied by her, Eugene Rougon, the

Minister, arranged the matter. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

CHARLES, a waiter at the Cafe Riche. It was he who served supper to

Maxime Saccard and Renee in the White Salon. La Curee.

CHARLES, the attendant at the public washing-house where Gervaise

Macquart had her great fight with Virginie. L’Assommoir.

CHARLES, a butcher whose shop was in Rue Polonceau. The Coupeaus dealt

with him. L’Assommoir.

CHARLES, coachman in the service of Nana. He left her after a violent

scene, in the course of which he called her a slut. Nana.

CHARLES, a cousin of the little soldier Jules from Plogof. Germinal.

CHARLES, coachman to Aristide Saccard. He was discovered stealing oats,

and was dismissed. In revenge, he disclosed to Madame Caroline the

relations between his master and the Baroness Sandorff. L’Argent.

CHARLES, (MONSIEUR AND MADAME), see Badeuil.

CHARPIER, a grain merchant at Vendome. He became bankrupt, and his

papers having been purchased by Fayeux on behalf of Busch, the latter

found among them a document signed by Comte de Beauvilliers, undertaking

payment of a large sum to Leonie Cron. L’Argent.

CHARRIER, a bricklayer who amassed a fortune by speculations in

building-sites during the early days of the Second Empire. Along

with Mignon, his partner, he had many business dealings with Aristide

Saccard. La Curee.

CHARVET, one of the party which met at Lebigre’s wine-shop to discuss

revolutionary subjects. He was the best educated of the coterie, and his

flood of bitter words generally crushed his adversaries. Le Ventre de

Paris.

CHASSAGNE (DOCTEUR), director of the asylum at Moulineaux, where

Saturnin Josserand was confined for a time. Pot-Bouille.

CHAUMETTE, counsellor at the court of Rouen. At the trial of Roubaud he

acted as assessor to the assizes. La Bete Humaine.

CHAUMETTE FILS, son of the preceding, was a substitute at Rouen. He was

the latest fancy of Madame Bonnehon, who did all she could to secure his

advancement. La Bete Humaine.

CHAVAILLE (ROSALIE), cousin of La Mechain, and mother of Victor Saccard.

She fell into a life of vice and poverty, and died at the age of

twenty-six. L’Argent.

CHAVAL, a miner employed at the Voreux pit. From the first he had an

instinctive hatred towards Etienne Lantier, caused partly by jealousy

regarding Catherine Maheu, whose lover he became. He treated the girl

very badly, and she ultimately left him. During the strike he took up a

position antagonistic to Lantier, who was one of the leaders, and

even undertook the direction of a party of Belgians brought in by the

mine-owners to work the pits. By a strange chance, Chaval met Lantier

and Catherine in a gallery of the pit after a terrible accident, which

resulted in its being flooded; a struggle followed, and Chaval was

killed, his body being thrown into the water. But the rise of the flood

brought him back time after time to the feet of the others, as if his

jealousy continued even after death. Germinal.

CHAVE (CAPTAIN), brother of Madame Maugendre, and uncle of Madame

Jordan. He was a petty gambler of a class who frequent the Bourse daily,

in order to make an almost certain profit of fifteen or twenty francs,

which must be realized before the day’s operations are over. He said

he was forced to speculate, as the pension which he received from the

Government was not sufficient to keep him from starvation. L’Argent.

CHAVIGNAT, an employee at the Ministry of Public Education. Pot-Bouille.

CHEDEVILLE (DE), deputy for Eure-et-Loire under the Empire. He was an

old beau who had flourished in the reign of Louis Philippe, and

was still supposed to have Orleanist sympathies, though his reputed

friendship with the Emperor was sufficient to secure his success at the

polls. He had gone through all his money, and had now only the farm of

La Chamade left. His political career was cut short by a scandal which

gave offence at the Tuileries, and he was defeated by Rochefontaine, who

was nominated by Government as the official candidate. La Terre.

CHERMETTE (MADAME DE), a friend of Madame Deberle. Une Page d’Amour.

CHEVASSU, a lawyer at Faverolles, who died leaving his fortune to the

Sisters of the Holy Family. His cousin, M. Charbonnel, got the will

reduced on the ground of undue influence. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

CHEZELLES (MADAME LEONIDE DE), a school friend of Comtesse Muffat, who

was five years her senior. She was the wife of a magistrate. “It was

rumoured that she deceived him quite openly, but people pardoned her

offence, and received her just the same, because, said they, ‘She’s not

answerable for her actions.’” Nana.

CHIBRAY (COMTE DE), aide-de-camp to the Emperor. He was for a time the

lover of Renee Saccard. La Curee.

CHOUARD (MARQUIS DE), father of Comtesse Sabine Muffat de Beuville.

He was a Councillor of State and Chamberlain to the Empress, but,

notwithstanding this, had kept up his relations with the Legitimist

party; he was known for his piety, and expressed the belief that his

class should show an example in morals to the lower orders. In secret,

however, his life was vicious, and many damaging stories were known

of him. He was one of Nana’s admirers, and after a visit to her he was

struck by sudden imbecility and semi-paralysis, the result of sixty

years of debauchery. Nana.

CHOUARD (SABINE DE), daughter of the preceding and wife of Comte Muffat

de Beuville. She was married at seventeen, and ever since had led a

cloistered existence with a pious husband and a dictatorial stepmother.

The death of her stepmother made little difference, and the family

continued to live in an atmosphere of frigid respectability. At

thirty-four Sabine looked little older than her own daughter, and would

not have been taken for more than twenty-eight. About this time Comte

Muffat fell entirely under the influence of Nana, and a change came

over the household. Sabine accepted the attentions of Fauchery,

whose mistress she became, and soon after launched into a course of

extravagance which in the end went far to complete the ruin to which her

husband was himself contributing. Other lovers followed Fauchery, and

in the end she ran off with the manager of a large drapery store.

Ultimately she returned, and was pardoned by her husband, who had lost

his own self-respect as a result of his intrigue with Nana. Nana.

CHOUTEAU, an old man of over ninety years of age, who with his wife

lived in a little hut in Beaumont, furnished for them by Angelique with

articles taken from the attic of her adopted parents. She, as well as

Felicien d’Hautecoeur, showed them much kindness. Le Reve.

CHOUTEAU, a soldier in the 106th regiment of the line, commanded by

Colonel de Vineuil. He belonged to the squad of Corporal Jean Macquart.

Originally a housepainter of Montmartre, his time was almost expired

when the outbreak of war prevented his leaving the army. A revolutionary

in his ideas, he was the leader in every breach of discipline among

his companions, suggesting to them that they should throw away their

knapsacks and guns; on the plateau of Floing, in front of the enemy,

he declared that as he had not eaten he would not fight. Sergeant Sapin

having been severely wounded, Chouteau offered, along with Loubet,

to remove him to the ambulance, and the two men disappeared from the

battlefield. After the defeat of the French Army he was made prisoner

at Iges, where he continued to advise his companions in committing all

kinds of excesses, going the length of handing a knife to Lapoulle in

order that he might kill Pache, who had hidden some provisions from him.

Along with Loubet he made an attempt to escape from the Germans, and

in this he attained success by treacherously sacrificing his comrade.

During the Commune he took an active part in the excesses which were

then committed; but during the sanguinary repression which followed

he was seen in the blouse of an honest workman applauding the massacre

which ensued. La Debacle.

CHRISTINE. See Christine Hallegrain.

CHUCHU (MADEMOISELLE), an actress at the Varietes. A liaison between her

and Flory led to the ruin of the latter on the Stock Exchange. L’Argent.

CLARISSE, waiting-maid in the service of Baroness Sandorff. She betrayed

to Delcambre the confidences of her mistress. L’Argent.

CLEMENCE, a clerk at the fish auction. She attended the meetings in

Lebigre’s wine-shop along with Charvet, with whom she lived. Le Ventre

de Paris.

CLEMENCE (MADEMOISELLE), occupied a room in the same tenement-house as

the Coupeaus and Lorilleux, where she took in ironing, as well as added

to her income by less reputable means. When Gervaise Coupeau’s laundry

was at the height of its success Clemence got regular employment there,

but when business began to go she had to leave. L’Assommoir.

CLEMENCE, lady’s maid to Madame Duveyrier. Pot-Bouille.

CLORINDE. See Clorinde Balbi.

CLOU, Municipal Councillor at Rognes. He played the trombone at choral

services in church. La Terre.

COEUR (GERMAINE), a _demi-mondaine_ who was on intimate terms with many

members of the Paris Bourse. L’Argent.

COGNET, a roadman at Rognes. He was an old drunkard, who beat his

daughter unmercifully. La Terre.

COGNET (JACQUELINE), alias LA COGNETTE, daughter of the preceding. She

went to La Borderie at the age of twelve years, and before long had

several lovers. She made her fortune, however, by resisting her master,

Alexandre Hourdequin, for six months, and when she ultimately became

his mistress she had made her position so secure that he was afterwards

unable to part with her. Notwithstanding her relations with Hourdequin,

she had other lovers, and the old shepherd Soulas, from motives of

revenge, informed Hourdequin of her intimacy with one of them, a man

named Tron. The latter, having been dismissed, killed Hourdequin and

burned down the farm, so that Jacqueline was compelled to leave La

Borderie no richer than she had come. La Terre.

COLICHE (LA), a fine cow which belonged to the Mouche family and was a

great favourite with them. La Terre.

COLIN, a notary at Havre. It was in his presence that the Roubauds made

a mutual will, leaving everything to the last survivor. La Bete Humaine.

COLOMBAN PERE, a veterinary surgeon known to all in the district of

Seine-et-Oise. He was of dissolute habits. Au Bonheur des Dames.

COLOMBAN, a shopman who had been for many years in the employment of

M. Baudu. He was engaged to his master’s daughter Genevieve, but the

marriage was put off from time to time as Baudu’s business was not

prosperous. Meantime, Colomban had become infatuated by Clara Prunaire,

a girl employed in “The Ladies’ Paradise,” and his affection for

Genevieve rapidly cooled. Ultimately he went off with Clara, thereby

hastening the death of Genevieve, who had been in bad health for some

time. Au Bonheur des Dames.

COLOMBE. See Pere Colombe.

COMBELOT (M. DE), an Imperial Chamberlain whom the Department of the

Landes had chosen as deputy upon the formally expressed desire of the

Emperor. He was a tall, handsome man, with a very white skin, and an

inky black beard, which had been the means of winning him great

favour among the ladies. He was married to a sister of Delestang. Son

Excellence Eugene Rougon.

COMBELOT (MADAME DE), see Henriette Delestang.

COMBETTE, a chemist at Chene-Populeux. He was assessor to the mayor,

and the information which he received on the night of 27th August, 1870,

satisfied him of the unhappy state of the Army of Chalons, which was

then on its way to the front. La Debacle.

COMBETTE (MADAME), wife of the preceding. It was she who on the evening

of 27th August, 1870, offered hospitality to the soldier Maurice

Levasseur, who was worn out with fatigue and with the pain of his foot,

which had been injured by the long march. La Debacle.

COMBEVILLE (DUCHESSE DE), mother of Princess d’Orviedo. L’Argent.

COMBOREL ET CIE, a firm of ship-owners who entered into the great

transport syndicate founded by Aristide Saccard. L’Argent.

COMPAN (ABBE), vicar of the church of Saint-Saturnin at Plassans. He was

on bad terms with Abbe Fenil, and consequently the other priests were

afraid to have any intercourse with him, Abbe Bourrette alone visiting

him during his last illness. La Conquete de Plassans.

CONDAMIN (M. DE), commissioner of woods and rivers for the district of

Plassans. He was an elderly man, whose morality was looked upon with

some suspicion by the respectable inhabitants of Plassans. He married

a young wife, whom he brought from no one knew where, but who had

evidently influential friends at Paris, as it was she who got her

husband and Dr. Porquier decorated. La Conquete de Plassans.

CONDAMIN (MADAME DE), wife of the preceding. She was at first received

with some suspicion at Plassans, nothing being known of her past

history, but by the charm of her manner she soon overcame prejudice.

Madame Mouret having asked her assistance in connection with the Home

for Girls proposed by Abbe Faujas, she entered heartily into the

scheme and used her influence on its behalf. Acting on advice from her

influential friends at Paris, she assisted Faujas in the schemes which

resulted in the election of M. Delangre as deputy for Plassans. La

Conquete de Plassans.

CONIN, a stationer at the corner of Rue Feydeau, who supplied note-books

to most members of the Bourse. He was assisted in the business by his

wife, and seldom came out of the back shop. L’Argent.

CONIN (MADAME), wife of the preceding. She was on too friendly terms

with many of her customers, but was so discreet that no scandal arose.

L’Argent.

COQUART (LES), proprietors of the farm of Saint-Juste, which, however,

they were forced by bad times to sell. The family consisted of the

father, mother, three sons and two daughters. La Terre.

COQUETS, neighbours of the Lorilleux in Rue de la Goutte-d’Or. They took

a fancy to light their cooking-stove on the stair-landing, and, as

they also owed their term’s rent, they were given notice to quit.

L’Assommoir.

CORBIERE (COMTE DE), proprietor of the Paradou, an estate near Artaud.

When he died, the care of the property was confided to Jeanbernat, a

foster-brother of the Comte. La Faute de l’Abbe Mouret.

CORBREUSE (DUC DE), proprietor of a racing-stable. Nana.

CORNAILLE, the principal draper in Valognes. Denise Baudu served her

apprenticeship to him. Au Bonheur des Dames.

CORNEMUSE, a racehorse which was the prize of the City of Paris. Nana.

CORNILLE, a member of the firm of Cornille and Jenard, who held in the

eighteenth century the mineral concession of Joiselle, which was joined

in 1760 to two neighbouring concessions, those of Comte de Cougny and of

Baron Desrumaux, in order to form the Company of the Mines of Montsou.

Germinal.

CORNILLE (ABBE), one of the clergy of the cathedral of Beaumont. He

accompanied Monseigneur d’Hautecoeur when the latter came to administer

the last rites of the Church to Angelique. Le Reve.

CORREUR (MADAME MELANIE), was the daughter of a notary of Coulonges, a

town in the district of Niort. When she was twenty-four years old she

eloped with a journeyman butcher, and thereafter lived in Paris, ignored

by her family. For some time she kept a boarding-house at the Hotel

Vanneau in the Rue Vanneau, where among her lodgers were Eugene Rougon,

Du Poizet, and Theodore Gilquin. She established a claim on Rougon’s

gratitude, and he assisted a number of her friends in obtaining pensions

and appointments. Having ascertained that her brother, M. Martineau, had

made a will by which she would benefit, she, knowing him to be in bad

health, denounced him to Rougon as a dangerous Republican. His arrest

and sudden death followed. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

COSINUS, a racehorse which ran in the Grand Prix de Paris. Nana.

COSSARD (LE PERE), prompter at the Theatre des Varietes. He was a little

hunchback.

COUDELOUP (MADAME), a baker in Rue des Poissonniers. She supplied the

Coupeaus until Lantier decided that they must have finer bread from a

Viennese bakery. L’Assommoir.

COUGNY (COMTE DE), owner in the eighteenth century of the mining

concession of Cougny, which in 1760 was joined to two neighbouring

concessions to form the Company of the Mines of Montsou. Germinal.

COUILLOT (LES), peasants at Rognes. Their son got the number 206 in the

drawing for the conscription. La Terre.

COUPEAU, a zinc-worker, who married Gervaise Macquart after her

desertion by Lantier. He was the son of a drunken father, but was

himself steady and industrious until a serious accident caused by a fall

from a roof brought about a change. After that he became unwilling to

work and began to spend his time in public-houses; his days of work

became fewer and fewer, until, a confirmed drunkard, he lived entirely

on his wife’s earnings. Attacks of delirium tremens followed, and in the

end he died in the Asylum of Sainte-Anne after an attack of more than

usual violence. L’Assommoir.

COUPEAU (MADAME GERVAISE), wife of the preceding. See Gervaise Macquart.

L’Assommoir.

COUPEAU (ANNA, known as NANA), born 1852, was the only child of Coupeau

and Gervaise Macquart, his wife. Almost from infancy she was allowed to

run wild in the gutters of Paris, and even in childhood her instincts

were vicious. At thirteen years of age she was sent to learn

artificial-flower making in the establishment of Madame Titreville,

whose forewoman was Madame Lerat, Nana’s aunt. She had been there some

time when she began to receive attentions from an elderly gentleman who

had noticed her going to work. Meantime her father and mother had taken

to drink so seriously that home life had become intolerable, and, after

one of innumerable quarrels, Nana ran away to her venerable admirer.

After a few months she tired of him and left, to spend her time amongst

the low-class dancing-halls, in one of which she was found by her

father, who brought her home, where she remained for a fortnight, and

then ran off again. From time to time she returned, but her visits

gradually became less frequent till they ceased. L’Assommoir.

At sixteen years of age she had a child by an unknown father, and two

years later was installed in a flat in Boulevard Haussmann by a rich

merchant of Moscow, who had come to pass the winter in Paris. Bordenave,

the director of the Theatre des Varietes, gave her a part in a play

called _La Blonde Venus_, and though her voice was poor and she

was ignorant of acting, she was by the sheer force of her beauty an

immediate and overwhelming success. All Paris was at her feet; Comte

Muffat, Steiner, the Prince of Scots himself, came in turn to offer

homage. It seemed as if this girl, born of four or five generations of

drunkards and brought up on the pavements of Paris, was to revenge her

race upon the idle rich by the wild extravagances into which she dragged

them. Muffat and Steiner were her lovers, and ruined themselves by

the vast sums which she squandered; Georges Hugon killed himself from

jealousy of his brother Philippe, who embezzled for her sake, and

brought himself to imprisonment and disgrace; Vandeuvres too, after

courting dishonour, met death at his own hand; and Foucarmont, stripped

bare and cast off, went to perish in the China seas. The procession was

unending; more money was always required. After a successful appearance

in a play called _Melusine_, Nana suddenly left Paris and went to the

East. Strange stories were told of her--the conquest of a viceroy, a

colossal fortune acquired in Russia--but nothing definite was known.

When she returned to Paris in 1870 she found that her son Louiset had

been attacked by small-pox, and she herself contracted the disease from

him. A few days later she died in a room in the Grand Hotel, nursed only

by Rose Mignon, who had come to her in her trouble. The war with Germany

had just broken out, and as she lay dying the passing crowds were

shouting ceaselessly, “A Berlin, A Berlin.” Nana.

COUPEAU (LOUIS). See Louiset.

COUPEAU (MADAME), mother of Coupeau the zinc-worker. She was an old

woman, and, her sight having given way, was unable to support herself.

Her daughter, Madame Lorilleux, refused anything but the most trifling

assistance, and ultimately Gervaise Coupeau took the old woman into her

own home and supported her till her death, which occurred some years

later. L’Assommoir.

COURAJOD, a great landscape painter, whose masterpiece, the _Pool at

Gagny_, is in the Luxembourg. Long before his death he disappeared from

the world of art, and lived in a little house at Montmartre surrounded

by his hens, ducks, rabbits, and dogs. He refused to speak of his former

fame, and when Claude Lantier called on him the old man seemed to be

entering into a second childhood, forgetful of his past. L’Oeuvre.

COUTARD, a soldier of infantry who belonged to the Second Division of

the First Army Corps, which was defeated at Wissembourg on 4th August,

1870. He and his companion Picot were slightly wounded, and were left

behind, not being able to rejoin their regiments for three weeks,

most of which they spent tramping the country through wet and mud,

endeavouring to overtake the vanquished army of France. La Debacle.

CRASSE (LA), i.e. “The Dirty.” Sobriquet of a professor at the college

of Plassans, so called by the pupils as he marked by the constant

rubbing of his head the back of every chair he occupied. L’Oeuvre.

CREVECOEUR, a lace merchant in Rue Mail. Henri Deloche left his

employment, and entered Octave Mouret’s shop on the same day as Denise

Baudu. Au Bonheur des Dames.

CRON, a carter at Vendome. He was the father of Leonie Cron. L’Argent.

CRON (LEONIE), the girl to whom the Comte de Beauvilliers gave the

document which afterwards came into the hands of Busch, and was used by

him as a means of blackmailing the widow of the Comte. L’Argent.

CUCHE, a family of fisher people who resided at Bonneville. They were

ruined by their house being washed away by the sea. The father and

mother lived extremely dissolute lives, and their son grew up little

better than a savage. Pauline Quenu made great efforts to reform him,

but he refused all attempts to make him settle down. La Joie de Vivre.

CUDORGE (MADAME), a seller of umbrellas in the Rue Neuve de la Goutte

d’Or, where she was a neighbour of Gervaise Lantier. L’Assommoir.

CUGNOT (PAULINE), daughter of a miller at Chartres who was ruined by

a lawsuit. She came to Paris, and eventually got a situation at “The

Ladies’ Paradise,” where she showed much kindness to Denise Baudu, who

was at first badly treated by the other employees there. Later on she

married Bauge, her lover, but was allowed to retain her situation. Au

Bonheur des Dames.

D

DABADIE, chief station-master at Havre. He was a handsome man, with

the bearing of a commercial magnate engrossed in business. Indeed,

he willingly left the passenger department of the station to his

assistants, in order that he might give particular attention to the

enormous transit of merchandise at the docks. It is said that he was

on friendly terms with Mademoiselle Guichon, the office-keeper at the

station. La Bete Humaine.

DAGUENET (PAUL), the favoured lover of Nana. His father who was highly

esteemed by Louis Philippe, occupied a prefecture up to the time of his

death. As for himself, he had gone through three hundred thousand francs

in eighteen months in the pursuit of pleasure, and was only able to

keep going by small speculations on the Stock Exchange. Attracted by

the fortune of Estelle Muffat, he decided to marry her, and with the

assistance of Nana obtained the consent of Count Muffat. Become serious

after marriage, Daguenet came under the influence of Theophile Venot,

and was ruled with a rod of iron by his wife, who now exhibited a

character entirely unsuspected before. He now went to Mass, and was

furious with his father-in-law, who was ruining the family on account of

Nana. Nana.

DAGUENET (MADAME). See Estelle Muffat de Beuville.

DAIGREMONT, a Paris financier who was possessed of an enormous fortune.

It was said that his fidelity was not quite reliable, and that on one

occasion at least he played his allies false and swept away the profits.

He was approached by Saccard before the foundation of the Universal

Bank, and being assured that Eugene Rougon was to back up his brother,

he agreed to become one of the directors. He supported Saccard during

the great gamble in the shares of the bank, and even on the day of the

collapse had promised to come on the market and buy so heavily as to put

up the price of the shares. Having received information through

Jacoby that Gundermann was determined at any cost to break the market,

Daigremont deserted Saccard, and instead of buying, sold all the shares

he had, thereby bringing about the final collapse. L’Argent.

DAIGREMONT (MADAME), wife of the preceding. She was celebrated for her

beauty and for her fine singing. L’Argent.

DALICHAMP, a doctor at Raucourt, six kilometres from Remilly. He was a

man of brusque manner, but of excellent heart, who showed much kindness

to his patients. In the middle of August, 1870, he established an

ambulance at Raucourt, and after Jean Macquart, severely wounded, had

arrived at the house of Pere Fouchard, Dalichamp attended him secretly

till his recovery. It was through him that Henriette Weiss and Jean

gained their knowledge of the disasters which were everywhere overtaking

the French army. La Debacle.

DAMBREVILLE, a Government official who married in order to secure

promotion through the influence of his wife. Pot-Bouille.

DAMBREVILLE (MADAME), wife of the preceding. An elderly woman with a

passion for Leon Josserand, whose appointment as Maitre des Requetes

she procured by her influence. She promised to secure a wealthy wife for

him, but delayed to do so until he insisted on a match being arranged

between him and her niece Raymonde. Her friendly relations with him

continued to subsist even after his marriage. Pot-Bouille.

DAMBREVILLE (RAYMONDE), niece of Dambreville. See Madame Leon Josserand.

DANSAERT, a head captain in the Voreux pit. He was brutal and

overbearing with the workmen, but humble in the presence of his

superiors. Though it was well known that he was the lover of La

Pierronne, he was friendly with her husband, and got information from

him regarding the progress of the strike. On the day of the accident

in the pit he became mad with fear, and leaped into one of the cages,

leaving his men at the bottom. This action, together with the scandals

regarding him, caused the company to decide on his dismissal. Germinal.

DASTE (MADAME), a friend of the Saccards and of Madame de Lauwerens. La

Curee.

DAUVERGNE, deputy station-master for the main lines at the Gare

Saint-Lazare. He occupied with his family, Claire, Henri, and Sophie,

a house belonging to the railway company in the Impasse d’Amsterdam. La

Bete Humaine.

DAUVERGNE (CLAIRE), daughter of the preceding and sister of Sophie.

The two sisters were both charming blondes, one eighteen and the other

twenty, who, amidst a constant stream of gaiety, looked after the

housekeeping with the six thousand francs earned by the two men. The

elder one would be heard laughing, while the younger sang, and a cage

full of exotic birds rivalled one another in roulades. La Bete Humaine.

DAUVERGNE (HENRI), a chief guard in the service of the Western Railway

Company. He was in love with Severine Roubaud, but was aware of her

liaison with Jacques Lantier. He was injured in the railway accident at

Croix-de-Maufras, and having been removed to a house which belonged to

Severine, he was nursed by her there. In a hallucination of illness,

he believed that he heard, outside his window, Roubaud arranging with

Cabuche for the murder of Severine: his mistaken evidence was greatly

instrumental in leading to the conviction of the two men. La Bete

Humaine.

DAUVERGNE (SOPHIE), the elder of the two sisters. La Bete Humaine.

DAVOINE, the purchaser of Chanteau’s timber business at Caen. When

Chanteau became incapacitated by gout, he sold his business to Davoine

for a hundred thousand francs, of which one-half was to be paid in

cash and the balance to remain in the business. Davoine was, however,

constantly launching into speculations, and the consequence was that

the profits were drained away, and the balance sheet generally showed a

loss. He ultimately became bankrupt, and Chanteau lost all the money he

had left in the business. La Joie de Vivre.

DEBERLE (DOCTOR HENRI), a medical man of Passy who inherited from his

father a large fortune and an excellent practice. A chance call to

attend Jeanne Grandjean led to an intimacy with her mother, which

resulted in the fleeting love episode which forms the subject of

the novel. Deberle, deceived by the circumstances under which Helene

Grandjean prevented an assignation between his wife and M. Malignon,

believed that Helene had arranged an assignation with himself, and she

found it impossible to enlighten him without compromising his wife. The

brief liaison was terminated by the illness and death of Jeanne. Une

Page d’Amour.

DEBERLE (MADAME JULIETTE), wife of the preceding, was the elder daughter

of M. Letellier, a wealthy silk merchant of Paris. Empty-headed and fond

of gaiety, she was carried away by the attentions of M. Malignon, an

idle young man who went everywhere in Paris society, and to whom she was

foolish enough on one occasion to grant an assignation. Madame Helene

Grandjean, who was on intimate terms with the family, warned Madame

Deberle that her husband’s suspicions had been aroused, and that lady,

seeing in time the folly of her action, broke off the intrigue. Une Page

d’Amour.

DEBERLE (LUCIEN), the young son of Doctor Deberle. He was a playmate of

Jeanne Grandjean. Une Page d’Amour.

DECKER (BARONNE), a friend of the Marquis de Chouard, who occasionally

visited her at Viroflay. Nana.

DEJOIE, a man who was appointed by Saccard to be attendant at the

offices of the newspaper purchased in the interest of the Universal

Bank. He had a small sum of money, intended for the dowry of his

daughter, and to increase this he invested it in shares of the bank. On

the rise of the shares he gained a large sum, but, refusing to sell, he

lost everything in the final catastrophe. L’Argent.

DEJOIE (JOSEPHINE), wife of Dejoie, who first knew her when she was

cook with Madame Leveque, sister-in-law of Durieu, the brewer. She was

afterwards with Dr. Renaudin, and then in a shop in Rue Rambuteau. The

husband and wife were never fortunate enough to get employment in

one place. Josephine died when her daughter was fourteen years old.

L’Argent.

DEJOIE (NATHALIE), daughter of the preceding. In order to provide a

dowry for her, her father invested all his savings in shares of the

Universal Bank, losing everything after its failure. She was a pretty

girl, but absolutely heartless, and after the downfall of the bank she

ran away from home, leaving her old father in his poverty. L’Argent.

DELAHERCHE (MADAME), mother of Jules Delaherche. Her husband’s gay life

rendered her unhappy, and after she became a widow she trembled lest her

son should take to the same courses as his father; so, after marrying

him to a woman who was devout and of simple tastes, she sought to keep

him in a dependent state as though he were a mere youth. At fifty years

of age, his wife having died, Delaherche determined to marry a young

widow about whom there had been much gossip, and did so in spite of all

the remonstrances of his mother. After that she only lived on in silent

remonstrance, spending most of her time shut up in her own room. The

miseries of war told severely on the old woman, and to these were

added domestic troubles, for she became aware of her daughter-in-law’s

relations with Captain Baudoin and Edmond Lagarde. After the occupation

of Sedan by the Prussians she devoted herself to nursing her old friend

Colonel Vineuil, who had been brought to the house severely wounded. She

remained with him till his death, shut up from the world, and refusing

to hear of the defeats daily accumulating against their unhappy country.

La Debacle.

DELAHERCHE (JULES), one of the principal cloth manufacturers of Sedan.

He owned a large factory in Rue Maqua, which had been the property of

the family for a hundred and sixty years; in the rear of the building

was a palatial courtyard shaded with old trees, gigantic elms dating

from the foundation of the establishment. Jules, married to a woman dull

and plain-looking, had been kept by his mother in the dependent position

of a mere boy, but at fifty years of age, his wife being dead, he became

enamoured of Gilberte Maginot, a pretty young widow of Charleville,

and married her in spite of the determined opposition of his mother.

An ardent Bonapartist, he was much excited by a chance meeting with

Napoleon III, but after the repeated defeats of the army in the war with

Prussia his loyalty cooled, and he ultimately charged the Emperor with

all the miseries which ensued. After the battle of Sedan an ambulance

was established in the courtyard of his factory, and the wounded Colonel

Vineuil was removed to his house. La Debacle.

DELAHERCHE (MADAME JULES). See Gilberte Vineuil. La Debacle.

DELANGRE (M.), mayor of Plassans. He was the son of a bricklayer, and

when he passed as a lawyer had to be content with petty suits that no

one else would take up. It was said that he became the lover of Madame

Rastoil, and it was certainly through her influence that he won his

first cases. He was shrewd enough to show no particular political

proclivities; so after the _Coup d’Etat_ of 1851, when they were looking

out for a mayor, his name was at once thought of. He was elected,

and from that time everything prospered with him. As a result of much

scheming by Abbe Faujas, Delangre was adopted as candidate for the

representation of Plassans, and was elected by a triumphant majority

over Maurin, the Republican candidate. After his election, he voted

steadily with the Government, thus accomplishing the object for which

Faujas was sent to the town. La Conquete de Plassans.

DELANGRE (MADAME), wife of the preceding. “She was a tame little woman

of a servant-like meekness, whose dissoluteness had remained a matter

of legend in Plassans.” She was consulted by Madame Mouret regarding

the Home for Girls proposed by Abbe Faujas, and agreed to act on the

Committee. La Conquete de Plassans.

DELANGRE (LUCIEN), son of M. Delangre, mayor of Plassans. He was a young

barrister of four-and-twenty, short and sharp-eyed, with a crafty

brain, and pleaded with all the coolness of an old practitioner. On the

suggestion of Abbe Faujas he took a leading part in starting the Club

for Young Men at Plassans. La Conquete de Plassans.

DELAROCQUE, a stockbroker who was married to the sister of Jacoby.

L’Argent.

DELCAMBRE, Public Prosecutor, afterwards Minister of Justice. Having

been for some time the lover of Baroness Sandorff, he was much annoyed

at her subsequent intimacy with Saccard, and after the failure of the

Universal Bank he instigated the proceedings which led to the conviction

of its officials. L’Argent.

DELESTANG (M.), son of a wine merchant at Bercy, was himself a retired

attorney and owner of a model farm. He was a man of great wealth, but of

foolish and shallow character. Having got into political trouble at

the time of the _Coup d’Etat_ of 1851, he was helped out of an awkward

position by Eugene Rougon. Acting on the suggestion of Rougon, he

married Clorinde Balbi, and soon after was appointed Minister of

Commerce and Agriculture. After Rougon’s second retirement from office

Delestang was appointed to succeed him as Minister of the Interior. Son

Excellence Eugene Rougon.

DELESTANG (MADAME), wife of the preceding. See Clorinde Balbi.