CHARPIER, a grain merchant at Vendome.  He became bankrupt, and his papers having been purchased by Fayeux on behalf of Busch, the latter found among them a document signed by Comte de Beauvilliers, undertaking payment of a large sum to Leonie Cron.  L’Argent.

CHARRIER, a bricklayer who amassed a fortune by speculations in building-sites during the early days of the Second Empire.  Along with Mignon, his partner, he had many business dealings with Aristide Saccard.  La Curee.

CHARVET, one of the party which met at Lebigre’s wine-shop to discuss revolutionary subjects.  He was the best educated of the coterie, and his flood of bitter words generally crushed his adversaries.  Le Ventre de Paris.

CHASSAGNE (DOCTEUR), director of the asylum at Moulineaux, where Saturnin Josserand was confined for a time.  Pot-Bouille.

CHAUMETTE, counsellor at the court of Rouen.  At the trial of Roubaud he acted as assessor to the assizes.  La Bete Humaine.

CHAUMETTE FILS, son of the preceding, was a substitute at Rouen.  He was the latest fancy of Madame Bonnehon, who did all she could to secure his advancement.  La Bete Humaine.

CHAVAILLE (ROSALIE), cousin of La Mechain, and mother of Victor Saccard.  She fell into a life of vice and poverty, and died at the age of twenty-six.  L’Argent.

CHAVAL, a miner employed at the Voreux pit.  From the first he had an instinctive hatred towards Etienne Lantier, caused partly by jealousy regarding Catherine Maheu, whose lover he became.  He treated the girl very badly, and she ultimately left him.  During the strike he took up a position antagonistic to Lantier, who was one of the leaders, and even undertook the direction of a party of Belgians brought in by the mine-owners to work the pits.  By a strange chance, Chaval met Lantier and Catherine in a gallery of the pit after a terrible accident, which resulted in its being flooded; a struggle followed, and Chaval was killed, his body being thrown into the water.  But the rise of the flood brought him back time after time to the feet of the others, as if his jealousy continued even after death.  Germinal.

CHAVE (CAPTAIN), brother of Madame Maugendre, and uncle of Madame Jordan.  He was a petty gambler of a class who frequent the Bourse daily, in order to make an almost certain profit of fifteen or twenty francs, which must be realized before the day’s operations are over.  He said he was forced to speculate, as the pension which he received from the Government was not sufficient to keep him from starvation.  L’Argent.

CHAVIGNAT, an employee at the Ministry of Public Education.  Pot-Bouille.

CHEDEVILLE (DE), deputy for Eure-et-Loire under the Empire.  He was an old beau who had flourished in the reign of Louis Philippe, and was still supposed to have Orleanist sympathies, though his reputed friendship with the Emperor was sufficient to secure his success at the polls.  He had gone through all his money, and had now only the farm of La Chamade left.  His political career was cut short by a scandal which gave offence at the Tuileries, and he was defeated by Rochefontaine, who was nominated by Government as the official candidate.  La Terre.