om
childhood of Claude Lantier and Pierre Sandoz. His mother, who was
very ambitious, sent him to Paris, where he studied architecture at the
School of Art. His reverence for established formulas caused him to be
out of sympathy with the advanced school of painting advocated by Claude
Lantier and his friends, though he expressed large ideals regarding his
own profession. In time he became a first-class pupil at the school, and
with infinite trouble gained the regulation "honourable mention." But
his parents no longer sent him any money; it became necessary for him
to gain his living, and he was already tired of earning a few francs by
assisting an architect incapable of drawing his own plans. By the aid of
his master, Dequersonniere, he gained a medal for a plan of a villa, and
this brought him prominently under the notice of Margaillan, a wealthy
building contractor, whose daughter Regine he married soon afterwards.
The marriage was not a success; his wife was always ailing, and the two
children which were born to them were so delicate as to cause constant
anxiety. His business relations with his father-in-law were a failure,
some of his ventures resulting in heavy loss, and Margaillan soon thrust
him aside. His only satisfaction was that he had been able to repay
to his parents the money they advanced for his education in Paris.
L'Oeuvre.

DUBUCHE (MADAME LOUIS), wife of the preceding. See Regine Margaillan.
L'Oeuvre.

DUCAT, a franc-tireur of the woods at Dieulet. He was formerly a bailiff
at Blainville, but had to leave on account of a criminal charge against
him. He was a friend of Cabasse and of Guillaume Sambuc, and took part
in the murder of Goliath Steinberg. La Debacle.

DUCHESNE (GEORGES), a lover of Madame Bouchard, for whom she asked
the patronage of Eugene Rougon, which he refused on the ground of his
respect for her husband. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

DUCLOUX (LA), an old woman who lived in the neighbourhood of Croix de
Maufras, having formerly been servant in an inn. Misard was authorized
to employ her as gatekeeper on the railway after the death of Flore. She
was anxious to marry Misard, and seeing him constantly searching for
the little hoard of money which had been hidden by his deceased wife,
La Ducloux cleverly led him to believe that she knew where the money was
hidden. After she became the second Madame Misard she became infected
with the feverish anxiety of her husband, and joined with hi