LA PALFERINE (Gabriel-Jean-Anne-Victor-Benjamin-Georges-F
erdinand-Charles-Edouard-Rusticoli, Comte de), born in 1802; of an ancient Italian family which had become impoverished; grandson on the paternal side of one of the protectors of Josephine-Sophie Laguerre; descended indirectly from the Comtesse Albany—­whence his given name of Charles-Edouard.  He had in his veins the mixed blood of the condottiere and the gentleman.  Under Louis Philippe, idle and fast going to ruin, with his Louis XIII. cast of countenance, his evil-minded wit, his lofty independent manners, insolent yet winning, he was a type of the brilliant Bohemian of the Boulevard de Gand; so much so, that Madame de la Baudraye, basing her information on points furnished her by Nathan, one day drew a picture of him, writing a description in which artificiality and artlessness were combined.  In this were many interesting touches:  La Palferine’s contempt shown at all times for the bourgeois class and forms of government; the request for the return of his toothbrush, then in the possession of a deserted mistress, Antonia Chocardelle; his relations with Madame du Bruel, whom he laid siege to, won, and neglected—­a yielding puppet, of whom, strange to say, he broke the heart and made the fortune.  He lived at that time in the Roule addition, in a plain garret, where he was in the habit of receiving Zephirin Marcas.  The wretchedness of his quarters did not keep La Palferine out of the best society, and he was the guest of Josepha Mirah at the first entertainment given in her house on rue de la Ville-l’Eveque.  By a strange order of events, Comte Rusticoli became Beatrix de Rochefide’s lover, a few years after the events just narrated, at a time when the Debats published a novel by him which was spoken of far and wide.  Nathan laid the foundation for this affair.  Trailles, Charles-Edouard’s master, carried on the negotiations and brought the intrigue to a consummation, being urged on by the Abbe Brossette’s assent and the Duchesse de Grandlieu’s request.  La Palferine’s liaison with Madame de Rochefide effected a reconciliation between Calyste du Guenic and his wife.  In the course of time, however, Comte Rusticoli deserted Beatrix and sent her back to her husband, Arthur de Rochefide.  During the winter of 1842 La Palferine was attracted to Madame de Laginska, had some meetings with her, but failed in this affair through the intervention of Thaddee Paz. [A Prince of Bohemia.  A Man of Business.  Cousin Betty.  Beatrix.  The Imaginary Mistress.]

LA PEYRADE (Charles-Marie-Theodose de), born near Avignon in 1813, one of eleven children of the police-agent Peyrade’s youngest brother, who lived in poverty on a small estate called Canquoelle; a bold Southerner of fair skin; given to reflection; ambitious, tactful and astute.  In 1829 he left the department of Vaucluse and went to Paris on foot in search of Peyrade who, he had reason to believe, was wealthy, but of whose business he was ignorant.  Theodose departed