M Mareuil

A tall, handsome and healthy man who had been recently widowed with one daughter, Louise. He had started out as a sugar refiner in Le Havre where he had been called M. Bonnet. He made a lot of money and married a young noblewomen and assumed her name. He invested in newspapers and brought a lot of property in the Nièvre. His ambition was to be appointed a seat in the legislature. He cultivated a friendship with Saccard (who because of his daughters dowry of FF1m found it a useful alliance to have) because Saccard's brother(Eugène Rougon) was a minister who could help him achieve his aim. He does finally get elected deputy with the help of M. Hupel de la Noue but gets accused of corruption and nearly has the seat taken from him, only getting it after a rerun of the election takes place.
His involvement in corruption continues when he sits on an inquiry into the indemnity paid to Saccard on one of his properties. By this time he has already arranged with Saccard the marriage of his daughter to Maxime Saccard.