arents
took over the _maison publique_ of her grandfather, and she was then
sent to a convent at Chateaudun to be educated by the Sisters of the
Visitation. Her holidays were spent with her grandparents, and she was
supposed to be under the impression that her parents were carrying on
a large confectionery business, but Victorine, a servant who had been
dismissed for misconduct, had made her aware of the facts, and when, at
eighteen years of age, she was asked in marriage by her cousin Ernest
Delhomme, she astonished her grandparents by joining with him in a
desire to succeed to the family establishment. La Terre.

VAUGELADE (DUC DE), at one time the master of Gourd, who was his valet.
Pot-Bouille.

VENOT (THEOPHILE), an old lawyer who made a speciality of ecclesiastical
cases, and had acquired a fortune by serving the Jesuits. He had retired
with a comfortable sum, and led an existence slightly mysterious;
received everywhere, saluted very low, even a little feared, as he
represented a great and unknown force which he had behind him. An
intimate friend of the Muffats, he did everything in his power to put
an end to the liaison between the Comte and Nana, and, though no success
attended his efforts for a considerable time, he was able when ruin
seemed imminent to save Muffat from scandal and to console him by a
return to the practice of religion. Nana.

VERDIER (BARON), proprietor of a racing-stable. Frangipane, one of his
horses, ran in the Grand Prix de Paris. Nana.

VERDIER, a lawyer who had been for a long time engaged to Hortense
Josserand. The marriage was put off from time to time, as he had
got entangled with a woman from whom he found separation difficult.
Pot-Bouille.

VERDONCK, a grocer at Montsou. His business was much affected by the
competition of Maigrat, and he gave credit during the first week of the
strike in the hope of getting back some of his old customers. Germinal.

VERLAQUE, an inspector in the fish-market at the _Halles Centrales_.
Having fallen into bad health, he was allowed to find a substitute
to keep the place open for him in case he should recover. Florent was
appointed, and paid a considerable portion of the salary to Verlaque. Le
Ventre de Paris.

VERLAQUE (MADAME), wife of the preceding. Florent assisted her after the
death of her husband. Le Ventre de Paris.

VERNIER, an art critic who published an article on Fagerolles the
artist. L'Oeuvre.

VERONIQUE, maid-servant to the