RHETORE (Duchess de), born Francesca Soderini in 1802; a very beautiful and wealthy Florentine; married, when very young, by her father, to the Duc d'Argaiolo, who was also very rich and much older than herself. In Switzerland or Italy she became acquainted with Albert Savarus, when, as a result of political events, she and her husband were proscribed and deprived of their property. The Duchesse d'Argaiolo and Albert Savarus loved platonically, and Francesca-like she promised her hand to her Francois whenever she should become a widow. In 1835, having been widowed for some time, and, as a result of Rosalie de Watteville's plots, believing herself forgotten and betrayed by Savarus, from whom she had received no news, she gave her hand to the Duc de Rhetore, the ex-ambassador. The marriage took place in the month of May at Florence and was celebrated with much pomp. The Duchesse d'Argaiolo is pictured under the name of the Princesse Gandolphini in "L'Ambitieux par Amour," published in 1834 by the Revue de l'Est. Under Louis Philippe, the Duchesse de Rhetore became acquainted with Mademoiselle de Watteville at a charity entertainment.
On their second meeting, which took place at the Opera ball, Mademoiselle de Watteville revealed her own ill-doings and vindicated Savarus. [Albert Savarus.]
RICHARD (Veuve), a Nemours woman from whom Ursule Mirouet, afterwards Vicomtesse de Portenduere, after the death of Doctor Minoret, her guardian, purchased a house to occupy. [Ursule Mirouet.]
RIDAL (Fulgence), dramatic author; member of the Cenacle, which held its sessions at D'Arthez's home on rue des Quatre-Vents, during the Restoration. He disparaged Leon Giraud's beliefs, went under a Rabelaisian guise, careless, lazy and skeptical, also inclined to be melancholy and happy at the same time; nick-named by his friends the "Regimental Dog." Fulgence Ridal and Joseph Bridau, with other members of the Cenacle, were present at an evening party given by Madame Veuve Bridau, in 1819, to celebrate the return of her son Philippe from Texas. [A Bachelor's Establishment. A Distinguished Provincial at Paris.] In 1845, having been a vaudevillist, he was given the direction of a theatre in association with Lousteau. He had influencial government friends. [The Unconscious Humorists.]
RIFFE, copying-clerk in the Financial Bureau, who had charge of the "personnel." [The Government Clerks.]
RIFOOEL. (See Vissard, Chevalier du.)
RIGANSON, called Biffon, also Chanoine, constituted with La Biffe, his mistress, one of the most important couples in his class of society.
When a convict he met Jacques Collin, called Vautrin, and in May, 1830, saw him once more at the Conciergerie, at the time of the judical investigation succeeding Esther Gobseck's death. Riganson was short of stature, fat, and with livid skin, and an eye black and sunken. [Scenes from a Courtesan's Life.]
RIGOU (Gregoire), born in 1756; at one time a Benedictine friar. Under the Republic he married Arsene Pichard, only heir of the rich Cure Niseron. He became a money-lender; filled the office of mayor of Blangy, Bourgogne, up to 1821, when he was succeeded by Montcornet. On the arrival of the general in the country Rigou endeavored to be friendly with him, but having been quickly slighted, he became one of the Montcornets' most dangerous enemies, along with Gaubertin, mayor of Ville-aux-Fayes, and Soudry, mayor of Soulanges. This triumvirate succeeded in arousing the peasants against the owner of Aigues, and the local citizens having become more or less opposed to him, the general sold his property, and it fell to the three associates. Rigou was selfish, avaricious but pleasure-loving; he looked like a condor.
His name was often the subject of a pun, and he was called Grigou (G.
Rigou--a miserly man). "Deep as a monk, silent as a Benedictine, crafty as a priest, this man would have been a Tiberius in Rome, a Richelieu under Louis XIII. or a Fouche under the Convention." [The Peasantry.]
RIGOU (Madame), born Arsene Pichard, wife of the preceding, niece of a maid named Pichard, who was house-keeper for Cure Niseron under the Revolution, and whom she succeeded as house-keeper. She inherited, together with her aunt, some money from a wealthy priest. She was known while young by the name of La Belle Arsene. She had great influence over the cure, although she could neither read nor write.
After her marriage with Rigou, she became the old Benedictine's slave.
She lost her Rubens-like freshness, her magical figure, her beautiful teeth and the lustre of her eyes when she gave birth to her daughter, who eventually became the wife of Soudry (fils). Madame Rigou quietly bore the continued infidelity of her husband, who always had pretty maids in his household. [The Peasantry.]
RIVAUDOULT D'ARSCHOOT, of the Dulmen branch of a noted family of Galicia or Russie-Rouge; heirs, through their grandfather, to this family, and also, in default of the direct heirs, successors to the titles. [The Thirteen.]
RIVET (Achille), maker of lace and embroidery on rue des Mauvaises-
Paroles, in the old Langeais house, built by the illustrious family at the time when the greatest lords were clustered around the Louvre. In 1815 he succeeded the Pons Brothers, embroiderers to the Court, and was judge in the tribunal of commerce. He employed Lisbeth Fischer, and, despite their quarrel, rendered this spinster some service.
Achille Rivet worshiped Louis Philippe, who was to him the "noble representative of the class out of which he constructed his dynasty."
He loved the Poles less, at the time they were preventing European equilibrium. He was willing to aid Cousin Betty in the revenge against Wenceslas, which she once contemplated, as a result of her jealousy.
[Cousin Betty. Cousin Pons.]
