M. Hupel de la Noue

He is a prefect for the Nièvre who spends eight months a year in Paris. He managed to get himself caught up in a corruption scandal when attempting to get M. de Mareuil elected as a deputy, much to the annoyance of Eugène Rougon.
He is the author of the tableau vivant called “The Amours of Handsome Narcissus and the Nymph Echo” which is the centre piece of the costumed ball given by the Saccards on mid-lent Thursday and in which all the society women have a part.