PALOQUE, a judge.  He and his wife were said to be the ugliest couple in Plassans, and in addition were far from popular.  Madame Mouret having asked the assistance of Madame Paloque in connection with the Home for Girls proposed by Abbe Faujas, she agreed to act on the Committee, and became Treasurer.  At the opening ceremony, however, the Bishop omitted to make reference to her services, and she took great offence, becoming afterwards very irregular in her work, and declining to perform any duties that she did not fancy.  This ultimately led to the appointment of a paid Secretary for the institution, Honore Trouche, the brother-in-law of Abbe Faujas being selected.  The Paloques were antagonistic to Faujas, but on getting a hint from Madame de Condamin that he had the backing of the Government and would see that they were rewarded, they came over to his side, and assisted him in “the conquest of Plassans” by the Bonapartist candidate.  La Conquete de Plassans.

PARABOULOMENOS, a name given by the pupils of the college of Plassans to the youth who served in the kitchen.  L’Oeuvre.

PARALLELUCA, the sobriquet given by the pupils of the College of Plassans to a scullery-maid employed there.  It was alleged that there was a love-idyll between her and Paraboulomenos, both of whom were extremely ugly.  L’Oeuvre.

PASCAL (LE DOCTEUR).  See Pascal Rougon.

PATOIR, a veterinary surgeon at Cloyes.  La Terre.

PAUVRE ENFANT, a young trooper of the 5th regiment of the line, who was fatally wounded at the battle of Sedan, and died in the ambulance at Remilly.  He received the name because he continually repeated the words regarding himself, saying that his mother had always called him so.  He died in the arms of Henriette Weiss, whom in his delirium he named “Mother.”  La Debacle.

PAYAN, a stone-cutter from the South, whose friends had views of making him an artist.  He was a lover of Clarisse Bocquet, and pilfered from her a large quantity of furniture given her by Duveyrier.  Pot-Bouille.

PECHARD (ANTOINE), a neighbour of the Fouans.  He owned eighteen acres of land when he married La Grande, who brought him seven acres more.  He died young, leaving one daughter.  La Terre.

PECHARD (MADAME), wife of the preceding.  See La Grand.  La Terre.

PECHARD (MADEMOISELLE), daughter of Antoine Pechard and Marianne Fouan, his wife.  As she insisted on marrying a poor youth named Vincent Bouteroue, her mother cast her out.  Misfortunes pursued the young couple, both of whom died within a few years, leaving two children in profound misery.  La Terre.