n the country." He frequently disappeared for long periods,
but during his short sojourns in the town he drank to great excess. He
became the lover of Adelaide Fouque in 1789, less than a year after the
death of her husband, and had two children by her, Antoine and
Ursule Macquart. A man of violent and unrestrained passions, and of
incorrigibly lazy habits, he retained complete influence over Adelaide,
and they lived in the same relationship for over twenty years. About
1810, Macquart was killed on the frontier by a custom-house officer
while he was endeavouring to smuggle a cargo of Geneva watches into
France. Adelaide was sole legatee, the estate consisting of the hovel
at Plassans and the carbine of the deceased, which a smuggler loyally
brought back to her. La Fortune des Rougon.

MACQUART (ANTOINE), born 1789, son of Macquart the smuggler and
Adelaide Fouque; was drawn in the conscription in 1809. On his return
to Plassans, he found that his half-brother Pierre had sold the family
property and had appropriated the proceeds. Being a confirmed drunkard,
he was averse from work of any kind, but in order to support himself
he learned the trade of basket-making. In 1826 he married Josephine
Gavaudan, a market-woman, whom he afterwards allowed to support him.
They had three children, Lisa, Gervaise, and Jean. His wife died in
1850, and soon after his daughter Gervaise and his son Jean, who had
assisted to keep him in idleness, ran off. He had a bitter ill-will
towards his brother Pierre Rougon, and, chiefly with a view to his
annoyance, expressed strong Republican principles. For the same reason
he took every opportunity of teaching these principles to his young
nephew Silvere Mouret. After the _Coup d'Etat_ he took an active
share in the agitation which resulted in a Republican rising. When the
Insurgents left Plassans, he remained with a few men to overawe the
inhabitants. He and his whole band were, however, taken prisoners by
the citizens under the leadership of Pierre Rougon. He was assisted to
escape by Madame Felicite Rougon, who promised him a sum of money on
condition that he would bring about an attack on the Town Hall by
the Republicans. He did so the same night, and an ambush having
been prepared by the Rougons, a number of lives were sacrificed. He
thereafter left the country. La Fortune des Rougon.

Some time afterwards he returned to France, and bought a small house
at Les Tulettes, about three leagues fr