A Zola Dictionary Part 14

FIRMIN, chief huntsman to Napoleon III at Compiegne. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

FLAMINIO, the Comtesse Balbi's man-servant, "with a face like a brigand's, and a long black beard." Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

FLEUR D'EPINE, a celebrated chief of brigands who preceded Beau-Francois. La Terre.

FLEURANCE, a putter in the Voreux pit who worked along with the Maheus.

She was found dead in her bed, and the vacancy created in the pit was filled by Etienne Lantier. Germinal.

FLORE, the elder daughter of Madame Misard (Aunt Phasie). After illness rendered her mother unfit for work, Flore replaced her as gatekeeper at the railway crossing at Croix-de-Maufras. She was a tall and strong girl of eighteen, with a magnificent head of fair hair; disdainful of the male, she had thrashed at least one would-be lover. When she was quite little she had loved Jacques Lantier, and now it was to him alone she would have given herself. Jacques did not care for her, however, and she came to know that he had a mistress, Severine Roubaud. Convinced of her own right to be loved, for she was stronger and handsomer than the other, the girl was tortured by jealousy; and each Friday, as she saw the express rush past, bearing the two lovers to Paris, was seized with an imperious desire to end everything, and by causing their death prevent them from pa.s.sing any more. She accordingly brought about a terrible railway accident, in which a large number of persons were killed; but the crime was useless, for Severine and Jacques escaped with trifling injuries. The thought that Jacques knew her guilt, and must in future regard her as a monster, rendered life hateful to Flore, and to meet death she set out on a walk of heroic determination through the tunnel of Malaunay, allowing herself to be cut in pieces by an express train. La Bete Humaine.

FLORENCE, an actress at the variety theatres. Marsy offered her a valuable house. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

Pauline Letellier met her one day on the boulevards accompanied by Malignon. Juliette Deberle, who was a little jealous, a.s.sured her that Florence was at least forty and very plain-looking. Une Page d'Amour.

FLORENT, elder son of a widow who took as her second husband M. Quenu, who, however, died three years later, leaving a son. Florent was a gentle, studious youth, and his mother lavished all her affection on him, dying in the end from hardships endured in her struggle to keep him at college in Paris. After her death Florent took young Quenu, his half-brother, to live with him in Paris, giving up all thought of continuing to attend the Law School, and taking pupils in order to find means of sustenance. Years of hardship followed, and Florent became imbued with Republican ideas. Two days after the _Coup d'Etat_ of 1851, while the military were firing on the mob in the Boulevard Montmartre, he was knocked down and stunned. When he recovered, he found that he was lying beside the body of a young woman, whose blood had oozed from her wounds on to his hands. He was horrified at the sight, and rushed away to join a party of men who were throwing up barricades in an adjoining street. Worn out with fatigue, he fell asleep, and on awakening found himself in the hands of the police. His hands were still stained with the blood of the young woman, and the authorities a.s.sumed that he was a dangerous character. The semblance of a trial followed; he was condemned and transported to Cayenne. After incredible hardships and sufferings, he escaped and returned to France. Famished and exhausted, he tramped towards Paris, and had fallen in a faint on the road when he was overtaken by Madame Francois, who took him the rest of the journey on her cart. During his long absence his brother Quenu had at first been taken in by Gradelle, a brother of his mother, to whose business of pork-butcher he ultimately succeeded. Florent on his return from exile was warmly received by his brother and Madame Quenu, who told him that Gradelle, his uncle, had died, leaving a considerable sum, and that as there was no will he was ent.i.tled to a half-share. He refused to accept this, but agreed to live with the Quenus. This arrangement answered well at first, but Madame Quenu got tired of seeing him always about the house, and let him see that he must secure employment. After some time he got an appointment as deputy inspector at the Fish Market. He was introduced by Gavard to a small revolutionary circle which met nightly in a cafe kept by M. Lebigre, and of which he soon became the leader.

Meantime, Mlle. Saget, who from a chance word of Pauline, the little daughter of Quenu, had learned Florent's past history, spread the story in the markets, and a strong feeling was awakened against him. His sister-in-law, Lisa, alarmed lest her husband should be compromised by the revolutionary conspiracy, thought it her duty to inform the police.

She learned, however, that Florent's history had all along been known, Lebigre being a police spy, and that only a favourable opportunity was being awaited to arrest the whole gang of conspirators. The blow fell soon afterwards, and Florent was again sentenced to transportation to Cayenne. Le Ventre de Paris.

FLORY was born at Saintes, his father being employed in the local registry office. He came to Paris and entered the office of Mazaud, the stockbroker. At first he did his duties well, but was soon led astray and got into debt. Having started speculation on his own account, he became deeply involved in the Universal bank, and on the failure of that concern was left with a liability of a hundred thousand francs, to meet which he had not a single sou. Subsequently he was arrested and imprisoned for embezzling a large sum from Mazaud, his employer.

L'Argent.

FONTAN (ACHILLE), an actor at the Theatre des Varietes who played parts in _La Blonde Venus_ and _La Pet.i.te d.u.c.h.esse_. He became for a time the lover of Nana, but treated her so abominably that she left him. Nana.

FONTENAILLES (MLLE. DE), was descended from an aristocratic family, but was in great poverty when a situation was found for her in "The Ladies' Paradise" through the influence of Madame Desforges. She proved incapable of anything but the most menial work, and ultimately married Joseph, one of the porters in the establishment. Au Bonheur des Dames.

FOUAN, alias BUTEAU. See Buteau.

FOUAN (f.a.n.n.y). See Madame Delhomme.

FOUAN (HYACINTHE), the elder son of Pere Fouan and Rose Maliverne, his wife. He was an idler and drunkard, who, when he had left the army, after having seen service in Africa, had taken to tramp the fields, refusing to do any regular work, but living by theft and poaching, as though he were still looting a trembling nation of Bedouins. Withal there looked out of his fine, sunken eyes a merriment that was not altogether evil, the open heart of good-humoured drunkenness. He lived with his daughter in a ruined hut amongst some rocks near Rognes. After the division of land by his father, Hyacinthe soon mortgaged his share and drank the proceeds, never paying to his parents any part of the rent which had been agreed upon. For a time he sheltered his father, but frightened the old man by searching for some bonds which he had concealed. He had, however, neither the cold rapacity of his sister f.a.n.n.y nor the murderous instincts of his brother Buteau. La Terre.

FOUAN (JOSEPH CASIMIR), the father of Marianne, Louis, Michel, and Laure. Born in 1766, he belonged to a family of peasant proprietors which for centuries had owned land, in varying quant.i.ties, in the neighbourhood of Rognes. They were originally serfs of the Roques-Bouqueval family. Bit by bit they acquired their land, until, when the Revolution of 1789 arrived, the Fouan of that day, Joseph Casimir, was the owner of twenty-one acres--the conquest of four centuries from the seigneurial territory. When, in 1793, the rest of the estate was declared national property and sold in lots by auction, he was too timid to purchase any, and had the mortification to see La Borderie sold to Isidore Hourdequin, a citizen of Chateaudun, for a fifth of its value. When he became old he divided his twenty-one acres between three of his family, Marianne, Louis, and Michel, and gave a corresponding sum of money to his younger daughter Laure, who had been brought up as a sempstress and was in service at Chateaudun. La Terre.

FOUAN (LAURE), younger daughter of the preceding. See Madame Charles Badeuil.

FOUAN (LOUIS), known as Pere Fouan. He was the son of Joseph Casimir Fouan, and married Rose Maliverne, by whom he had three children, Hyacinthe, Buteau, and f.a.n.n.y. He received seven acres of land from his father, and his wife brought him twelve acres more. This land he cultivated well, and with a pa.s.sion for the soil, as such, which amounted to frenzy. It alone had his love, and his wife and children trembled before him under a rude despotism. At seventy years of age he was still healthy, but his limbs were failing, and he reluctantly decided to divide his land between his children. He retained his house and garden, which had come to him with his wife, and his family undertook to pay him a rent for the land handed over to them. Upon this, along with a nest-egg of three hundred francs per annum, known to no one, the old people would be able to live comfortably. The division made, the family soon became rapacious; Hyacinthe never paid anything, Buteau only a part, and Delhomme, f.a.n.n.y's husband, alone fulfilled his obligation. Mere Fouan died, and the old man lived alone for a year; after that he went to his daughter f.a.n.n.y Delhomme, but her unkindness made his life miserable, and he accepted in turn the hospitality of his two sons, Buteau and Hyacinthe, both of whom had come to suspect the existence of his nest-egg and were anxious to secure it. In this sordid aim Buteau was eventually successful, and his subsequent treatment of the old man was even more infamous than it had been before. From this time Pere Fouan lived in isolation; he spoke to none and looked at none; as far as appearances went, he might have been blind and dumb. But even worse was to follow. He had seen the a.s.sault on Francoise Mouche which resulted in her death, and to ensure his silence he was murdered by Buteau and Lise, his son and daughter-in-law, who attempted to suffocate him, and subsequently burned him alive in his bed. La Terre.

FOUAN (MADAME ROSE), wife of the preceding, nee Maliverne. She worked on the farm like a man, rising first and going to bed last, her only reward being that she had lived. Stupid, and reduced by labour to the level of an animal, she had always trembled before the despotic authority of her husband. She brought up her family without love, and as if she resented their requiring even the simple necessaries of life. She did not long survive the division of land by her husband. Her favouritism for Hyacinthe, her elder son, excited the jealousy of Buteau, who in the course of a quarrel threw her to the ground, when she received such injuries that she died a few hours afterwards. La Terre.

FOUAN (MARIANNE). See La Grande.

FOUAN (MICHEL). See Pere Mouche.

FOUAN (OLYMPE), daughter of Hyacinthe. Her mother, who was a tramp, ran off when the child was three years old, leaving her to grow up as best she could. She was pa.s.sionately fond of geese, of which she had a large flock. When little more than a child, she had as her lovers Delphin Becu and Nenesse Delhomme. La Terre.

FOUCARMONT, a naval officer who in ten years saved some money which he proposed to invest in the United States. He fell into the hands of Nana, however, and was soon completely ruined. When she turned him out of doors penniless, she merely advised him to go back to his ship. He was drowned later in the China seas. Nana.

FOUCART, the owner of a cheap restaurant frequented by Jory, Mahoudeau, and their band. L'Oeuvre.

FOUCART (MADAME), the nurse who attended Sidonie Rougon at the birth of Angelique and left the child at the foundling hospital. She a.s.sisted Sidonie both by taking her into her house and lending her money, but when Madame Foucart herself fell into difficulties Sidonie did nothing for her, not even paying back what she owed. It was from Madame Foucart that Hubert subsequently got information regarding the parentage of Angelique. Le Reve.

FOUCHARD, father of Honore Fouchard, and uncle, on the mother's side, of Henriette and Maurice Leva.s.seur. He was a small farmer at Remilly, who to make money more quickly took up the trade of butcher also. Avaricious to the last degree, and with a nature of unpitying hardness, he opposed the marriage of Honore with his servant Silvine Morange. At the end of two years of waiting Honore went off, after a terrible scene with his father, though the old man still kept the girl, with whom he was well pleased. When the French troops were marching to Sedan, Fouchard concealed all the animals on his farm, burying even his supply of bread and wine, in the hope of being able to sell to better advantage later on. The death of his son, who was killed in the battle, cost him a few tears, but he was quickly consoled by some good purchases of horses stolen from the battlefield. He took Prosper Sambuc as farm-worker, because the soldier, being liable to imprisonment by the Prussians, could not ask him for any wages. He began to do a considerable trade in butcher-meat with the conquering army, selling them all the diseased animals that he could secure. A suspicion of being concerned in the death of Goliath Steinberg led to his arrest, but he was released soon afterwards, thanks to the intervention of Captain von Gartlauben, a friend of the Delaherches. La Debacle.

FOUCHARD (HONORE), only son of the preceding. At twenty years of age, in 1867, he drew a good number for the conscription, but on account of the opposition of his father to his marriage with Silvine Morange, he enlisted, and was sent to Africa, in the artillery. When he heard that Silvine had become the mistress of Goliath Steinberg he became so ill that he had to remain in hospital for three months. He afterwards received a letter from Silvine saying that she had never loved any one but him, and when pa.s.sing through Remilly on his way to the front, he saw her and forgave everything. His battery was among those which on 1st September, 1870, defended the Calvary d'Illy, but was cut to pieces by the terrible fire of the Prussians. Honore was killed, and fell across his gun, firmly grasping the letter from Silvine, which in his death-struggle he had drawn from his bosom. La Debacle.

FOUGERAY (MADEMOISELLE DE), eldest daughter of the Baronne de Fougeray.

She entered a convent, because it was said, a young man with whom she was in love had died. The event created much talk in all cla.s.ses of society in Paris. Nana.

FOUQUE (ADELAIDE), generally known as Aunt Dide, the common ancestress of the Rougon-Macquarts, born at Pla.s.sans in 1768, was the last representative of a family who had owned a market-garden there for several generations. "This girl, whose father died insane, was a long, lank, pale creature, with a scared look and strange gait." In 1786, six months after the death of her father, she married one of her own workmen, named Rougon, "a rough-hewn peasant from the Ba.s.ses Alpes."

Rougon died fifteen months after his marriage, leaving a son named Pierre. Scarcely a year had elapsed before the widow took as her lover a man named Macquart, who lived in a hovel adjoining her own property, and two children were born. The legitimate son, Pierre Rougon, was brought up along with his half brother and sister, Antoine and Ursule, with whom, however, he was not on good terms. From her eighteenth year Adelaide was subject to nervous fits, which brought on convulsions, and though she was not yet insane, these repeated shocks produced cerebral disorders. "She lived from day to day like a child; like a fawning animal yielding to its instincts." These conditions continued for about twenty years, till the death of Macquart, and the children grew up as best they could. By this time Pierre realized the situation, and playing upon his mother's mental weakness, he brought her completely under his sway. On the death of Macquart, Adelaide went to live in the hovel bequeathed to her by him, and Pierre sold the family property, appropriating the price. Living at first entirely alone, her intellect became more and more affected by the recurring convulsive fits.

Subsequently her grandson Silvere Mouret lived with her, but after his execution, of which she was a witness, she became quite insane. La Fortune des Rougon.

She was always under restraint, and remained a living sore to the family. The little property which belonged to her son Antoine Macquart was close to the asylum where she was confined, and Pierre Rougon seemed to have placed him there to look after her. Adelaide seldom spoke, and for twelve years had never moved from her chair. La Conquete de Pla.s.sans.

At 104 years old she was still living in the asylum at Les Tulettes.

She was little better than a skeleton, and in her long, thin face it was only in the eyes that there was any sign of life. Immovable in her chair, she remained from year to year like a spectre, calling up the horrors of her family history. A sudden accident, the death of little Charles Saccard from nasal hemorrhage, wakened in her sleeping brain recollections of years before; she saw again the murder of Silvere, killed by a pistol-shot, and she saw also her lover Macquart, the smuggler, killed like a dog by the gendarmes. The shock proved too much for her feeble strength, and she died the following day (in 1873), aged 105 years, three months, and seven days. Le Docteur Pascal.

FOUSSET (LE PERE), tenant of the farm of Millouard, in the Canton of Orgeres. He was a victim of the band of brigands commanded by Beau-Francois. La Terre.

FRANCHOMME (LOUIS), a cousin of Francoise Hamelin and her brother, with whom he went to reside for a time when recovering from a fever. His wife having become fond of Angelique Marie, who lived at that time with Francoise Hamelin, he obtained permission to take her to Paris, where she could be taught the trade of making flowers. Unfortunately, however, he died three months later. Le Reve.

FRANCHOMME (THERESE), wife of the preceding. After the death of her husband, she, being in delicate health, was obliged to leave the city and go to live with her brother Rabier, a tanner, who was settled at Beaumont. She died a few months afterwards, leaving to the care of the Rabiers the child Angelique, whom she had brought with her from Paris.

Le Reve.

FRANCIS, the hairdresser of Nana. He was in the habit of lending money to his customers, and on one occasion he found, with the a.s.sistance of Labordette, a hundred thousand francs for Comte m.u.f.fat, who required the money for Nana. Nana.

FRANCIS, coachman to the Gregoires. He also did the heavy work of the household. Germinal.

FRANCOIS, a wine-merchant whose shop was situated at the corner of Rue des Poissonniers and of Rue de la Goutte d'Or. Coupeau frequently spent whole days there. L'a.s.sommoir.

FRANCOIS, concierge and footman in Nana's establishment. He was the husband of Victorine, the cook. He received visitors in the hall, wearing a gorgeous livery. Nana.

FRANCOIS (MADAME), a market-gardener of Nanterre. She drove regularly to Paris in the early morning with her vegetables, and on one occasion found Florent lying on the road from want and exhaustion. She took him to town in her cart, and subsequently showed kindness to him and Claude Lantier. Le Ventre de Paris.

FRANCOISE, housemaid to Madame Theophile Vabre. Pot-Bouille.

FRANCOISE, the servant of M. and Madame Sandoz in their little house in Rue Nollet. L'Oeuvre.

FRANGIPANE, a horse which belonged to Baron Verdier and ran in the Grand Prix de Paris. Nana.

FREDERICK (MADAME), a widow who held the position of "second hand" in the dress department of "The Ladies' Paradise." Au Bonheur des Dames.

FIRMAT, an old peasant of Rognes who was a neighbour of Mouche. He became paralysed. La Terre.

FIRMAT (LA), wife of the preceding. She was well known in the village for her knowledge of animals, and was frequently consulted when it would otherwise have been necessary to call in a veterinary surgeon. She worked hard to support her invalid husband, to whom she was devoted, and wept at the thought that he was soon to die. La Terre.