DELESTANG (MADAME), wife of the preceding.  See Clorinde Balbi.

DELESTANG (HENRIETTE), sister of Delestang, the Minister, and wife of M. de Combelot, Chamberlain to Napoleon III.  She had a passion for the Emperor, who, however, would not look at her.  Son Excellence Eugene Rougon.

DELEUZE founded, along with his brother, in 1822, the drapers’ shop in Paris known as Au Bonheur des Dames.  When he died, his daughter Caroline, who was married to Hedouin, succeeded to his share in the business.  Pot-Bouille.

The beginning of the business was exceedingly modest; there was only one window in the shop, and the stock was a small one.  At that time the principal shop in the neighbourhood was the Vieil Elbeuf, of which Baudu afterwards became proprietor.  Au Bonheur des Dames.

DELEUZE (UNCLE), one of the founders of the shop known as Au Bonheur des Dames.  After the death of his elder brother he continued the business along with his niece Madame Hedouin.  He became much affected by rheumatism, and left the management in the hands of Hedouin.  Pot-Bouille.

DELEUZE (CAROLINE).  See Caroline Hedouin.

DELHOMME was the son-in-law of Pere Fouan, whose daughter Fanny he married.  He was the owner of a small farm, which he managed so well that he became one of the richest of the peasant proprietors at Rognes.  He was a man of calm, upright nature, and was frequently selected as arbiter in petty disputes.  In his own affairs, however, he allowed himself to be much influenced by his wife.  He was a municipal councillor, and ultimately became mayor.  La Terre.

DELHOMME (MADAME), nee Fanny Fouan, wife of the preceding.  At first a not unamiable woman, she became hardened, and eventually the cleanliness of her house became a mania with her.  She was unkind to her father, with whose little weaknesses she had no patience, and her persecution of him was carried to such an extent that he ceased to live with her and her husband.  She was so annoyed at this that she refused to speak to him again, and her ill-will was not even terminated by his death.  When her husband became mayor her conceit knew no bounds.  La Terre.

DELHOMME (ERNEST), known as Nenesse, son of the preceding.  From childhood he had a fancy for dressing himself up and aping the city lads, and as he had always a horror of the land he went to Chartres to assist in a restaurant, with which was connected a public dancing-hall.  His parents effected an insurance against him being drawn in the conscription; but he drew a lucky number, and the loss of the money caused his mother considerable annoyance.  He proposed to take over the maison de tolerance at Chartres which belonged to his grand-aunt Madame Badeuil and her husband, and he eventually did so by marrying their granddaughter Elodie Vaucogne.  La Terre.

DELOCHE, a bailiff in needy circumstances who resided at Briquebec.  He treated his son Henri very badly.  Au Bonheur des Dames.