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 compet.i.tion 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 subst.i.tute 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 a.s.sisted her after the death of her husband. Le Ventre de Paris.

VERNIER, an art critic who published an article on f.a.gerolles 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 Pla.s.sans. When his appointment became vacant it was promised to Abbe Bourrette, but was eventually given to Abbe Faujas. La Conquete de Pla.s.sans.

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

VIAN, a wheelwright of Pla.s.sans, 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 Impa.s.se 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 c.o.ke to Gervaise at the same price as the Gas Company. L'a.s.sommoir.

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

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 compet.i.tion 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 a.s.sociating 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 Leva.s.seur. 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 a.s.sisted 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'a.s.sommoir.

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 a.s.sisted 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 Pla.s.sans, who published a biweekly journal, the _Gazette de Pla.s.sans_, which was devoted exclusively to the interests of the clergy. La Fortune des Rougon.

W

WEISS, husband of Henriette Leva.s.seur, and cousin of Otto Gunther. He got a situation in the refinery at Chene-Populeux, almost in a menial position, but he gradually educated himself, and by dint of hard work raised himself to the position of accountant. A clear-headed man, he early saw the causes that were to lead to the downfall of his country, and expressed himself strongly regarding the unprepared state of the army. Weiss lived at Sedan, but in 1870 he had just bought a little house at Bazeilles, where he slept the night before the battle. He was frantic at the idea that the Prussians might pillage and perhaps destroy the dwelling so long desired and so hardly acquired, and when the attack was made he took an active part in the fighting. Captured by the Prussians, and being a civilian, he was at once condemned to be shot, and the sentence was carried out before the eyes of his wife, who had come from Sedan to look for him. La Debacle.

WEISS (MADAME), wife of the preceding. See Henriette Leva.s.seur. La Debacle.

WORMS, a famous costumier, before whom the ladies of the Second Empire bowed the knee. Renee Saccard was one of his customers, and when she died owed him an account of two hundred and fifty-seven thousand francs.

La Curee.

Z

ZEPHIR, the horse ridden by Prosper Sambuc, who loved it like a brother.

The animal received a mortal wound at the battle of Sedan, and fell on its rider, crushing under it his right leg. It lay upon him for some hours, but eventually, on his speaking to it, moved with a great effort sufficiently to allow him to escape. La Debacle.

ZEPHYRIN, a worker on the farm of La Borderie. He laughed at the agricultural machinery introduced by Alexandre Hourdequin. La Terre.

ZIDORE, a youth of seventeen, who was an apprentice zinc-worker. He was Coupeau's a.s.sistant at one time. L'a.s.sommoir.

ZIZI, the pet name given by Nana to Georges Hugon. Nana.

ZOE, waiting-maid in the employment of Nana. She was entirely in Nana's confidence, and was always ready with shrewd advice, though there is no doubt she arranged matters so that a great deal of money came into her own hands. She ultimately took over the establishment of La Tricon, which she had long coveted, and, having large ideas, proposed to extend the business by renting a larger house. Nana.

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF PRINc.i.p.aL SCENES