time being, Rougon made overtures to her which she resented, and he was on the point of offering her marriage.  Reflection on her somewhat equivocal position in society induced him to think better of this, and he offered to arrange a marriage between her and his friend Delestang.  The offer was accepted, and the marriage took place.  Soon after, Rougon married Veronique Beulin-d’Orchere.  During his retirement Rougon was surrounded by a band of followers, the Charbonnels, Du Poizet, Kahn, and others, who in the hope of profiting by his return to office lost no chance of establishing a claim upon him.  After the Orsini plot against the life of the Emperor, of which Rougon had prior information through Gilquin, the need for a strong man arose, and he was again called to office, being appointed Minister of the Interior.  His harshness in carrying out reprisals against the Republican party, and even more, his recklessness in finding appointments for his friends, led to a public outcry, and his position again became undermined.  Clorinde, who had never forgiven him for not marrying her, did much to foment the disaffection, and even his own band of followers turned against him.  Always quick to act, Rougon again placed his resignation in the hands of the Emperor, who to his surprise accepted it.  Three years later he was once more a member of the Corps Legislatif, and having brought his principles into accordance with the more liberal views then professed by the Emperor, he gave his strong support to the measures giving effect to them.  In consequence, he was appointed by the Emperor as a Minister without department, and commissioned to defend the new Policy.  Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

When his brother Aristide came to Paris, Eugene found a situation for him, but, fearing to be compromised by him, suggested that he should change his name to Saccard which he did.  There was no intimacy between the brothers, but Eugene occasionally visited Aristide at the great house built by him in the Parc Monceau.  La Curee.

After Saccard’s bankruptcy, Eugene refused to have any further connection with him, though he tacitly approved of the foundation of the Universal Bank.  The Bank having failed, however, he did nothing to stay legal proceedings against his brother; but, after a sentence of imprisonment had been passed, he connived at his escape from the country while the sentence was under appeal.  L’Argent.

He continued to take a lively interest in Plassans, and it was by him that Abbe Faujas was sent there to counteract the clerical influence, which at that time was strongly Legitimist.  He kept up a correspondence with his mother, whom he advised as to each step she should take in political matters.  La Conquete de Plassans.

After the fall of the Empire, Eugene became a simple Deputy, and in the Assembly remained to defend the old order of things which the downfall had swept away.  Le Docteur Pascal.

ROUGON (MADAME EUGENE), wife of the preceding.  See Veronique Beulin-d’Orchere.  Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.