ieres, her character had not
changed. Mezieres she found dull, but her husband allowed her full
liberty, and she found all the gaiety she desired at Charleville. There
she lived solely for pleasure, and Captain Beaudoin became her lover. In
1869 she became a widow, and in spite of the stories told about her she
found a second husband, Jules Delaherche. On the eve of the battle of
Sedan she resumed for the nonce her former relations with Beaudoin. Gay
and irresponsible by nature, she flirted with Captain von Gartlauben,
a Prussian officer, who was quartered on her husband after the
capitulation of Sedan, while at the same time she carried on a liaison
with Edmond Lagarde, a young soldier who had been wounded, and whom she
had assisted to nurse. La Debacle.

VIOLAINE (LOUISE), an actress at the Theatre des Varietes. She took
the part in the _Blonde Venus_ originally played by Nana, and secured a
great success. Nana.

VIRGINIE, sister of Adele, for whose sake Auguste Lantier deserted
Gervaise Macquart. Gervaise, meeting Virginie in a public washing-house,
was taunted by her on the subject of her lover, and a terrible fight
between the two women followed, Virginie being severely beaten. Gervaise
did not see her again for some years, by which time she had married M.
Poisson, an ex-soldier, who later became a policeman. She professed to
have overlooked the fight with Gervaise, but appears to have been
not without hope that an opportunity of repaying her injuries might
eventually arise. When the Coupeaus gave way to drink, Lantier, who had
again established friendly relations, suggested that Virginie should
take the Coupeaus' shop and buy a stock of groceries and sweetmeats with
a legacy she had received from an aunt. Partly moved by a desire for
revenge on Gervaise, she did so, and Lantier retained with the Poissons
the place as a lodger he formerly occupied with the Coupeaus. Soon
after, he became Virginie's lover, and, by paying nothing for
his support, while he gradually ate the contents of the shop, he
accomplished the downfall of the Poissons in much the same manner as he
had already ruined the Coupeaus. L'Assommoir.

VISCARDI (SIGNOR), a Venetian political refugee, and a friend of
Comtesse Balbi. Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

VOINCOURT (COMTESSE DE), mother of Claire de Voincourt. She occupied at
Beaumont a house adjoining the bishop's palace. Le Reve.

VOINCOURT (CLAIRE DE), the daughter of an old family of great