VABRE, a notary of Versailles who retired to Paris with a fortune, part of which he invested in the house in Rue de Choiseul occupied by the Duveyriers, the Josserands, and others. He had unfortunately a hidden passion for gambling in stocks and shares, and when he died it was found that his whole fortune had been dissipated, even his house being heavily mortgaged. Pot-Bouille.

VABRE (AUGUSTE), eldest son of M. Vabre, carried on a silk merchant’s business in part of the premises which belonged to his father. He married Berthe Josserand, but as he suffered much from neuralgia, and was, in addition, of a niggardly disposition, the marriage was not a happy one. An intrigue between Madame Vabre and Octave Mouret followed, and on its discovery she returned to her parents. For a considerable time Vabre refused to forgive his wife, but a reconciliation was ultimately brought about through the intervention of Abbe Mauduit. Vabre’s fortunes were adversely affected by the extension of Madame Hedouin’s business, known as “The Ladies’ Paradise.” Pot-Bouille.

The rapid success of Octave Mouret’s business led to the ruin of Vabre, a result to which the extravagance of his wife also contributed. Au Bonheur des Dames.

VABRE (MADAME AUGUSTE), wife of the preceding. See Berthe Josserand. Pot-Bouille.

VABRE (CAMILLE), son of Theophile Vabre and his wife Valerie Louhette. Pot-Bouille.

VABRE (CLOTILDE), daughter of Vabre the notary, and wife of Duveyrier. She did not get on well with her husband, whom she hated, and her only passion was for music, which she practised to an inordinate extent. Pot-Bouille.

VABRE (THEOPHILE), second son of M. Vabre, “a little old man of twenty-eight, a victim to coughs and toothache, who first tried all sorts of trades and then married the daughter of a neighbouring haberdasher.” His life was shadowed by suspicions of his wife, with whom he constantly quarrelled. He was with difficulty prevented from making a scene at the marriage of his brother Auguste to Berthe Josserand. Pot-Bouille.

VABRE (MADAME VALERIE), wife of the preceding, nee Louhette, was the daughter of a wealthy haberdasher. She did not get on well with her husband, who accused her, not entirely without reason, of carrying on a liaison with some one whose name he was unable to discover. Pot-Bouille.

VADON (MARGUERITE), daughter of a linen-draper at Grenoble, found it desirable to come to Paris for a time, and got a situation at “The Ladies’ Paradise.” She as a well-conducted girl, and ultimately returned to Grenoble to take charge of her parents’ shop, and marry a cousin who was waiting for her. Au Bonheur des Dames.

VALENCAY (BARON DE), aide-de-camp to the Emperor. He married the eldest daughter of the Comtesse de Bretigny. L’Assommoir.

VALENCAY (MADEMOISELLE PAULE DE), was very rich and extremely beautiful when at nineteen years old she married the Marquis Jean XII de Hautecoeur. She died within a year, leaving a son named Felicien. Le Reve.

VALENTIN, son of Guiraude, and brother of Sophie. His father, a journeyman tanner, died of phthisis, and Valentin, who had been in daily contact with him, developed the disease. Doctor Pascal Rougon prolonged his life for some time by hypodermic injections of a substance discovered by himself, but the respite was only temporary, for at twenty-one years of age Valentine died of hereditary phthisis. Le Docteur Pascal.

VALERIO II, a horse which belonged to M. Corbreuse and ran in the Grand Prix de Paris. Nana.

VALLAGNOSC (MADAME DE), belonged to an old family of Plassans. Left a widow with two daughters and one son, she found life difficult on the small remains of a former fortune. In order to assist his mother, the son, Paul, secured an appointment at Paris in a Government office. Au Bonheur des Dames.

VALLAGNOSC (PAUL DE), an old friend of Octave Mouret, whom he had known at Plassans. He belonged to an old family, but, being a younger son without money, was obliged to select a profession. He studied law, but meeting with no success, was obliged to accept an appointment in the Ministry of the Interior. He married Mademoiselle de Boves. Au Bonheur des Dames.

VALLAGNOSC (MADAME PAUL DE), wife of the preceding. See Blanche de Boves.

VALQUEYRAS (COMTE DE), a relation of Marquis de Carnavant, who lived in his house. La Fortune des Rougon.

He was a supporter of the Marquis de Lagrifoul, the Legitimist Deputy for Plassans, who visited him for a fortnight before the election which was dominated by Abbe Faujas. La Conquete de Plassans.

VALQUEYRAS (MARQUISE DE), in 1873, she was the only representative of a very old family. She was a widow with a little daughter of six, very rich, and equally parsimonious. When Doctor Pascal Rougon called on her to ask payment of his fees, he allowed himself to be put off, and even gave advice regarding the health of the child. Le Docteur Pascal.

VANDERGHAGEN, the medical man employed by the Mining Company of Montsou. He was so much overworked that it was said he gave his consultations while he was running from place to place. Germinal.

VANDEUVRES (COMTE XAVIER DE), the last member of a noble family, had gone through a large fortune in Paris. His racing-stable was famous, as were his losses at the Imperial Club, while his ruin was completed by the vast sums which he spent on Nana. His final hope was centred on the race for the Grand Prix de Paris in which he was running two horses, Lusignan and a filly named Nana. Lusignan was the favourite, but Vandeuvres, having arranged his betting, caused the horse to be pulled, so that the filly might win. The ruse was successful, and Vandeuvres gained a large sum, but suspicions having been aroused, he was warned off the turf and expelled from the Imperial Club. Driven to madness, the Comte shut himself up in his stable, and, having set it on fire, perished among his horses. Nana.

VANDORPE, the head stationmaster of the Western Railway Company at Paris. La Bete Humaine.

VANPOUILLE BROTHERS, a firm of furriers in Rue Neuve-des-Petits Champs, who were practically ruined when Octave Mouret added a fur department to “The Ladies’ Paradise.” Au Bonheur des Dames.

VANSKA (COMTESSE), a well-known and rich mondaine of the Second Empire. La Curee.

VANZADE (MADAME), the widow of a general. She was an old lady, rich, nearly blind, and practically helpless. At Passy she lived, in a silent old house, a life so retired and regular that it might have been actuated by clockwork. As she required a companion, her old friend, La Mere des Saints-Anges, recommended Christine Hallegrain to her; but the girl, stifling in that dwelling of rigid piety, ended by running off with her lover, Claude Lantier. Madame Vanzade died four years later, and the bulk of her fortune went to charities. L’Oeuvre.

VAQUEZ (JUDITH), an artist’s model who lived in Rue du Rocher. She was a Jewess, fresh enough in colouring but too thin. L’Oeuvre.

VAUCOGNE (HECTOR), husband of Estelle Badeuil. At the time of his marriage, Vaucogne was a junior officer of customs, but when his wife’s parents retired he took over their maison publique. He left everything to the care of his wife, and after her death the establishment ceased to be prosperous. In the end he was turned out by his father-in-law, and the business was given to his daughter Elodie, who showed all the family capacity for management. La Terre.

VAUCOGNE (MADAME HECTOR), wife of the preceding. See Estelle Badeuil. La Terre.

VAUCOGNE (ELODIE), daughter of the preceding, and granddaughter of M. and Madame Charles Badeuil. She was seven years old when her parents took over the maison publique of her grandfather, and she was then sent to a convent at Chateaudun to be educated by the Sisters of the Visitation. Her holidays were spent with her grandparents, and she was supposed to be under the impression that her parents were carrying on a large confectionery business, but Victorine, a servant who had been dismissed for misconduct, had made her aware of the facts, and when, at eighteen years of age, she was asked in marriage by her cousin Ernest Delhomme, she astonished her grandparents by joining with him in a desire to succeed to the family establishment. La Terre.

VAUGELADE (DUC DE), at one time the master of Gourd, who was his valet. Pot-Bouille.

VENOT (THEOPHILE), an old lawyer who made a speciality of ecclesiastical cases, and had acquired a fortune by serving the Jesuits. He had retired with a comfortable sum, and led an existence slightly mysterious; received everywhere, saluted very low, even a little feared, as he represented a great and unknown force which he had behind him. An intimate friend of the Muffats, he did everything in his power to put an end to the liaison between the Comte and Nana, and, though no success attended his efforts for a considerable time, he was able when ruin seemed imminent to save Muffat from scandal and to console him by a return to the practice of religion. Nana.

VERDIER (BARON), proprietor of a racing-stable. Frangipane, one of his horses, ran in the Grand Prix de Paris. Nana.

VERDIER, a lawyer who had been for a long time engaged to Hortense Josserand. The marriage was put off from time to time, as he had got entangled with a woman from whom he found separation difficult. Pot-Bouille.

VERDONCK, a grocer at Montsou. His business was much affected by the competition of Maigrat, and he gave credit during the first week of the strike in the hope of getting back some of his old customers. Germinal.

VERLAQUE, an inspector in the fish-market at the Halles Centrales. Having fallen into bad health, he was allowed to find a substitute to keep the place open for him in case he should recover. Florent was appointed, and paid a considerable portion of the salary to Verlaque. Le Ventre de Paris.

VERLAQUE (MADAME), wife of the preceding. Florent assisted her after the death of her husband. Le Ventre de Paris.

VERNIER, an art critic who published an article on Fagerolles the artist. L’Oeuvre.

VERONIQUE, maid-servant to the Chanteau family, was a tall, stout young woman of unattractive appearance and uncertain temper. She had been in the service of the Chanteaus for twenty years, and having become necessary to them, took advantage of her position. From the first, Veronique resented Pauline Quenu’s presence in the Chanteau household, and treated her as an intruder. In course of time, however, she came to see that Pauline was being despoiled of her means by Madame Chanteau, and her sense of justice made her take the young girl’s part. The death of Madame Chanteau made a deep impression on Veronique whose ill-will towards Pauline gradually returned. Her mind, not strong at best, became unhinged, and in a fit of temper she went into the orchard and hanged herself. La Joie de Vivre.

VIAL (ABBE), one of the clergy of Plassans. When his appointment became vacant it was promised to Abbe Bourrette, but was eventually given to Abbe Faujas. La Conquete de Plassans.

VIAL (MELANIE), second wife of Jean Macquart, to whom she was married in 1871. She was the only daughter of a peasant in easy circumstances, and was of a fine robust physique. She had three healthy children in as many years. Le Docteur Pascal.

VIAN, a wheelwright of Plassans, to whom Silvere Mouret was apprenticed. La Fortune des Rougon.

VICTOIRE, Madame Campardon’s cook. She had been in the service of her master’s father when Campardon was a baby, and though now old, and not over clean, they were unwilling to part with her. Pot-Bouille.

VICTOIRE (LA MERE), wife of Pecqueux, the railway stoker. She had been the nurse of Severine Aubry, and later, as the wife of Pecqueux, who spent all his earnings on drink, she was leading a wretched existence in Paris by the aid of a little sewing, when, happening to meet her foster-daughter, the former intimacy had been renewed, and President Grandmorin took her under his protection, obtaining for her the post of attendant at the ladies’ cloakroom. She occupied a room in the Impasse d’Amsterdam, which the Roubauds regarded as their head-quarters when they spent a day in Paris. Having become helpless as the result of a sprain, she was obliged to resign her post and seek admittance to a hospital. La Bete Humaine.

VICTORINE, cook in the employment of Nana. She married Francois, the footman. Nana.

VICTORINE, a servant in the employment of the Badeuils after they retired to Rognes. She was dismissed for misconduct, and in revenge told Elodie Vaucogne the occupation of her parents. La Terre.

VIGOUROUX, a coal merchant in Rue de la Goutte d’Or. He sold coke to Gervaise at the same price as the Gas Company. L’Assommoir.

VIGOUROUX (MADAME), wife of the preceding. She was a little woman with bright eyes who liked to laugh with the men. L’Assommoir.

VIMEUX, a miserable little sheriff officer, who was celebrated in the Canton for the bad usage he got from the peasants when he was obliged to serve summonses upon them. La Terre.

VINCARD, a silk merchant, who, seeing that his business was likely to be seriously affected by the competition of “The Ladies’ Paradise,” he sold it to Robineau, and took a restaurant at Vincennes. Au Bonheur des Dames.

VINCENT, a tavern-keeper in the neighbourhood of Montsou. Germinal.

VINEUIL (COMMANDANT DE), father of Gilberte. Retired from active service on account of his wounds, he was appointed Director of Customs at Charleville. His wife died of consumption, and he sent his daughter, about whose health he was alarmed, to reside for a time at a farm near Chene-Populeux. He died soon after Gilberte’s marriage to Maginot, the Inspector of State Forests. La Debacle.

VINEUIL (COLONEL DE), brother of the preceding. In 1870 he commanded the 106th Regiment of the line, which formed part of the Seventh Army corps. He was a man of fine appearance and character, and bore his part bravely through the disastrous campaign, until he was severely wounded on the battlefield of Sedan. Notwithstanding his wound, he remained on his horse till the end, when he was removed to the house of Delaherche, the husband of his niece Gilberte. By December his wound was cured, but crushed by his country’s defeats, his mental depression was so great that he remained in a darkened room, refusing to hear news from the outer world, and associating only with his old friend Madame Delaherche, the mother of his niece’s husband. At the end of December he died suddenly, horror-struck by an account of the surrender of Metz, which he chanced to read in an old newspaper. La Debacle.

VINEUIL (GILBERTE DE), daughter of Commandant de Vineuil. She was first married to Maginot, and afterwards to Jules Delaherche. When she was nine years old, her father, alarmed at a cough she had, sent her to live at a farm, where she came to know Henriette Levasseur. Even at that age she was a coquette, and when at twenty she married Maginot, the Inspector of the State Forests at Mezieres, her character had not changed. Mezieres she found dull, but her husband allowed her full liberty, and she found all the gaiety she desired at Charleville. There she lived solely for pleasure, and Captain Beaudoin became her lover. In 1869 she became a widow, and in spite of the stories told about her she found a second husband, Jules Delaherche. On the eve of the battle of Sedan she resumed for the nonce her former relations with Beaudoin. Gay and irresponsible by nature, she flirted with Captain von Gartlauben, a Prussian officer, who was quartered on her husband after the capitulation of Sedan, while at the same time she carried on a liaison with Edmond Lagarde, a young soldier who had been wounded, and whom she had assisted to nurse. La Debacle.

VIOLAINE (LOUISE), an actress at the Theatre des Varietes. She took the part in the Blonde Venus originally played by Nana, and secured a great success. Nana.

VIRGINIE, sister of Adele, for whose sake Auguste Lantier deserted Gervaise Macquart. Gervaise, meeting Virginie in a public washing-house, was taunted by her on the subject of her lover, and a terrible fight between the two women followed, Virginie being severely beaten. Gervaise did not see her again for some years, by which time she had married M. Poisson, an ex-soldier, who later became a policeman. She professed to have overlooked the fight with Gervaise, but appears to have been not without hope that an opportunity of repaying her injuries might eventually arise. When the Coupeaus gave way to drink, Lantier, who had again established friendly relations, suggested that Virginie should take the Coupeaus’ shop and buy a stock of groceries and sweetmeats with a legacy she had received from an aunt. Partly moved by a desire for revenge on Gervaise, she did so, and Lantier retained with the Poissons the place as a lodger he formerly occupied with the Coupeaus. Soon after, he became Virginie’s lover, and, by paying nothing for his support, while he gradually ate the contents of the shop, he accomplished the downfall of the Poissons in much the same manner as he had already ruined the Coupeaus. L’Assommoir.

VISCARDI (SIGNOR), a Venetian political refugee, and a friend of Comtesse Balbi. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

VOINCOURT (COMTESSE DE), mother of Claire de Voincourt. She occupied at Beaumont a house adjoining the bishop’s palace. Le Reve.

VOINCOURT (CLAIRE DE), the daughter of an old family of great wealth who lived at Beaumont. Monseigneur d’Hautecoeur wished to arrange a marriage between her and Felicien, his son; his plans were assisted by the belief of Felicien that Angelique, with whom he had fallen in love, no longer cared for him. This belief having proved false, the proposed marriage between Felicien and Claire de Voincourt did not take place. Le Reve.

VORIAU, a large black dog which belonged to Bambousse, the Mayor of Artaud. La Faute de l’Abbe Mouret.

VUILLAUME (M. and MADAME), the parents of Madame Pichon, whom they visited every Sunday afternoon. They were, later, much annoyed with the Pichons, whose family became, they considered, too large for their means. Pot-Bouille.

VUILLAUME (MARIE). See Madame Marie Pichon.

VUILLET, a bookseller of Plassans, who published a biweekly journal, the Gazette de Plassans, which was devoted exclusively to the interests of the clergy. La Fortune des Rougon.