of a gang, but his excessive zeal made him
disliked by his men. Germinal.

PIERRON (LYDIE), daughter of the preceding, was a fragile child,
who when ten years old was already working in the pit. Her constant
companions were Jeanlin Maheu and Bebert Levaque, with whom she made
many raids in search of food during the strike. She was killed by the
volley fired by the troops at the strikers attacking the Voreux pit.
Germinal.

PIERRONNE (LA), the second wife of Pierron, was a daughter of La Brule.
She was allowed by the Company to sell sweetmeats and biscuits, which
were a considerable source of revenue. Dansaert, the head captain of the
Voreux pit, was her lover, and through him she obtained various favours,
giving him in exchange information as to the intentions of the strikers.
After the strike she was enabled to acquire the little _Estaminet du
Progres_. Germinal.

PIFARD, an usher at the college of Plassans, whose wonderful nose kept
betraying his presence behind doors when its owner went eavesdropping.
L'Oeuvre.

PILLERAULT, a speculator on the Bourse, whose guiding principle was
recklessness; he declared that he plunged into catastrophes whenever he
paused to reflect. He was ruined by the failure of the Universal Bank.
L'Argent.

PIOT AND RIVOIRE, a firm of furniture-dealers, whose business was
seriously affected when Octave Mouret added a furniture department to
"The Ladies' Paradise." Au Bonheur des Dames.

PIQUETTE kept an _estaminet_ at Montsou, where Chaval lodged. Germinal.

PLOUGUERN (M. DE) was a member of the Chamber of Deputies during the
reign of Louis Philippe. After the Revolution of February, 1848, he
manifested a sudden affection for the Republic, and later, when the
Emperor granted him the refuge of the Senate, he was a Bonapartist. He
was a man of high birth and breeding, and though a sceptic, defended
religion and family life. During a journey in Italy he met Comtesse
Balbi, whose lover he remained for thirty years. According to some,
Clorinde Balbi was his daughter. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

PLUCHART, a former workman who was now secretary of a branch of the
International Association of workers. He had been Etienne Lantier's
foreman at Lille, and at his request came to Montsou to address the
miners there. As a result of his visit ten thousand miners joined the
International Association. Germinal.

POIRETTE (LE PERE), a countryman of Bennecourt, with small eyes and the
face of a wol