CARDOT (Jean-Jerome-Severin), born in 1755. Head-clerk in an old
silk-house, the "Golden Cocoon," rue des Bourdonnais. He bought the
establishment in 1793, at the "maximum" moment, and in ten years had
made a large fortune, thanks to the dowry of one hundred thousand
francs brought him by his wife; she was a Demoiselle Husson, and gave
him four children. Of these, the elder daughter married Camusot, who
succeeded his father-in-law; the second, Marianne, married Protez, of
the firm of Protez & Chiffreville; the elder son became a notary; the
younger son, Joseph, took an interest in Matifat's drug business.
Cardot was the "protector" of the actress, Florentine, whom he
discovered and started. In 1822 he lived at Belleville in one of the
first houses above Courtille; he had then been a widower for six
years. He was an uncle of Oscar Husson, and had taken some interest in
and helped the dolt, until an incident occurred that changed
everything: the old man discovered the young fellow asleep one
morning, on one of Florentine's divans, after an orgy wherein he had
squandered the money entrusted to him by his employer, Desroches the
attorney. [A Start in Life. Lost Illusions. A Distinguished Provincial
at Paris. A Bachelor's Establishment.] Cardot had dealings with the
Guillaumes, clothiers, rue Saint-Denis. [At the Sign of the Cat and
Racket.] He and his entire family were invited to the great ball given
by Cesar Birotteau, December 17, 1818. [Cesar Birotteau.]
CARDOT, elder son of the preceding. Parisian notary, successor of
Sorbier. Born in 1794. Married to a Demoiselle Chiffreville, of a
family of celebrated chemists. Three children were born to them: a son
who in 1836 was fourth clerk in his father's business, and should have
succeeded him, but dreamed instead of literary fame; Felicie, who
married Berthier; and another daughter, born in 1824. The notary
Cardot maintained Malaga, during the reign of Louis Philippe. [The
Muse of the Department. A Man of Business. Jealousies of a Country
Town.] He was attorney for Pierre Grassou, who deposited his savings
with him every quarter. [Pierre Grassou.] He was also notary to the
Thuilliers, and, in 1840, had presented in their drawing-rooms, on rue
Saint-Dominique d'Enfer, Godeschal an aspirant for the hand of Celeste
Colleville. After living on Place du Chatelet, Cardot become one of
the tenants of the house purchased by the Thuilliers, near the
Madeleine. [The Middle Classes.] In 1844 he was mayor and deputy of
Paris. [Cousin Pons.]
CARDOT (Madame) nee Chiffreville, wife of Cardot the notary. Very
devoted, but a "wooden" woman, a "veritable penitential brush." About
1840 she lived on Place du Chatelet, Paris, with her husband. At this
time, the notary's wife took her daughter Felicie to rue des Martyrs,
to the home of Etienne Lousteau, whom she had planned to have for a
son-in-law, but whom she finally threw over on account of the
journalist's dissipated ways. [The Muse of the Department.]