MANON-LA-BLONDE, during the last years of the Restoration a Paris
prostitute, who fell violently in love with Theodore Calvi, became a
receiver of stolen goods, brought to her by the companion of Jacques
Collin, who committed murder also, at the time of the robbery; she
thus became the indirect or involuntary cause of the Corsican's
arrest. [Scenes from a Courtesan's Life.]
MANSEAU (Pere), tavern-keeper at Echelles, a town in Savoie, gave aid
to La Fosseuse, in her poverty, and sheltered this unfortunate woman
in a barn. La Fosseuse became the protegee of Doctor Benassis. [The
Country Doctor.]
MARANA (La), the last of a long series of prostitutes bearing the same
name; natural descendant of the Herouvilles. She was known to have had
more than one distinguished lover: Mancini, the Duc de Lina, and a
king of Naples. She was notorious in Venice, Milan and Naples. She had
by Mancini one child, whom he acknowledged, Juana-Pepita-Maria, and
had her reared in good morals by the Lagounias, who were under
obligations to her. Upon going to seek her daughter in Tarragone,
Spain, she surprised the girl in company with Montefiore, but scorned
to take vengeance upon him. She accepted as husband of the young girl
M. Diard, who had asked for her hand. In 1823, when she was dying in
the hospital at Bordeaux, Marana once more saw her daughter, still
virtuous, although unhappy. [The Hated Son. The Maranas.]
MARCAS (Zephirin), born about 1803 in a Bretagne family at Vitre. In
after life he supported his parents who were in poor circumstances. He
received a free education in a seminary, but had no inclination for
the priesthood. Carrying hardly any money he went to Paris, in 1823 or
1824, and after studying with a lawyer became his chief clerk. Later
he studied men and objects in five capitals: London, Berlin, Vienna,
St. Petersburg and Constantinople. For five years he was a journalist,
and reported the proceedings of the "Chambres." He often visited R. de
la Palferine. With women he proved to be of the passionate-timid kind.
With the head of a lion, and a strong voice, he was equal as an orator
to Berryer, and the superior of M. Thiers. For a long time he supplied
the political ability needed by a deputy who had become a minister,
but, convinced of his disloyalty, he overthrew him, only to restore
him for a short time. He once more entered into polemical controversy;
saw the newspapers which had sparkled with his forceful, high-minded
criticism die; and lived miserably upon a daily allowance of thirty
sous, earned by copying for the Palais. Marcas lived at that time,
1836, in the garret of a furnished house on rue Corneille. His
thankless debtor, become minister again, sought him anew. Had it not
been for the hearty attention of his young neighbors, Rabourdin and
Juste, who furnished him with some necessary clothing, and aided him
at Humann's expense, Marcas would not have taken advantage of the new
opportunity that was offered him. His new position lasted but a short
time. The third fall of the government hastened that of Marcas. Lodged
once more on rue Corneille he was taken with a nervous fever. The
sickness increased and finally carried away this unrecognized genius.
Z. Marcas was buried in a common grave in Montparnasse cemetery,
January, 1838. [A Prince of Bohemia. Z. Marcas.]
MARCHAND (Victor), son of a Parisian grocer, infantry-major during the
campaign of 1808, a lover of Clara Leganes, to whom he was under
obligation; tried, without success, to marry this girl of the Spanish
nobility, who preferred to suffer the most horrible of deaths,
decapitation by the hand of her own brother. [El Verdugo.]