of the Empress
Eugenie. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

LA ROUQUETTE (MADEMOISELLE DE). See Madame de Llorentz.

LARSONNEAU, formerly a clerk at the Hotel de Ville along with Aristide
Saccard; he was dismissed for prying into the prefet's private drawers.
He acted for Saccard in many of the shady transactions in which he could
not himself appear, and being entirely unscrupulous ultimately
amassed such a sum of money that he was able to start a small banking
establishment. La Curee.

He became immensely rich. It was through him that Busch came to know the
past life of Aristide Saccard. L'Argent.

LAURE, an actress for whom Joncquier had an infatuation. Nana.

LAURE, a performer in a singing-hall at Montmartre. Hutin, one of Octave
Mouret's salesmen, and his friend Lienard applauded her performance so
noisily that the police threatened to intervene. Au Bonheur des Dames.

LAURENT, a peasant in easy circumstances who lived near Artaud. Pere
Bambousse was anxious to have him as son-in-law. La Faute de l'Abbe
Mouret.

LAURENT, the recorder at the court of Rouen who assisted Denizet at the
inquiry into the murder of Grandmorin. He was skilful in selecting the
essential parts of evidence, so as not to put down anything useless. La
Bete Humaine.

LAURENT, a gardener at Bazeilles. He was a man of thirty years of age
who had recently lost his mother and his wife, who had both died of the
same fever. During the battle of 1st September, 1870, he took part in
the defence of Weiss's house, and having only his own body to care for,
he determined to sell it dearly, and at each shot to bring down one of
the enemy. He continued firing till his ammunition was exhausted,
when he was taken prisoner by the Prussians, who finding that he was a
civilian removed him, along with Weiss, for instant execution. In the
face of the firing party he retained all his calmness, standing with his
hands in his pockets till the fatal shots were fired. La Debacle.

LAUWERENS (DE), a well-known financier who was both wealthy and
avaricious. He went the length of refusing to pay his wife's milliner's
bill. La Curee.

LAUWERENS (MADAME DE), wife of the preceding. Notwithstanding certain
well-authenticated scandals, she managed to keep her high position in
society. She was a friend of Renee Saccard. La Curee.

LAVIGNIERE, was one of the auditors at the Universal Bank, Rousseau
being the other. Their duties were delicate, and in the circumstances
use