r of Comtesse de Beauvilliers. The
extravagance of her father had dissipated the family estates, and she
and her mother were left with barely sufficient to keep up appearances.
She was plain-looking, and had reached the age of twenty-five years
without any offers of marriage. It was, however, in the hope of
providing a suitable dowry for her, that the Comtesse invested her
money in the Universal Bank, with disastrous results. Alice, who had few
amusements, interested herself in charities, and frequently visited the
institutions founded by Princess d'Orviedo. On a visit to _L'Oeuvre du
Travail_ she was attacked and robbed of a small sum by Victor Saccard,
who was at that time an inmate. Her injuries were severe, and a serious
illness followed. The failure of the Universal Bank left her and her
mother in poverty. L'Argent.

BEAUVILLIERS (FERDINANDE DE), son of Comte Beauvilliers. He was for
a time the cause of anxiety to his mother on account of some youthful
extravagances, but early settled down, and having received a commission
in the Papal troops, served with distinction. He was delicate, however,
and died of fever in Rome. L'Argent.

BECKER, a jeweller in Paris. He supplied a set of sapphires for the
mistress of Comte de Muffat. Nana.

BECOT, a grocer in Rue Montorgueil. Having become a widower, he took
to dissolute courses, and his shop was gradually swallowed up, with its
dried vegetables, jars, and drawers of sweetstuff. Eventually the place
was sold up and Becot died of apoplexy soon afterwards. L'Oeuvre.

BECOT (IRMA), daughter of the preceding. After her father's death she
went to live with an aunt, but soon afterwards ran off with a young
fellow who lived across the street. She did not remain long with him,
but, having a passion for artists, experienced in turn a caprice for
Fagerolles, Gagniere, and many others. A young and foolish Marquis
furnished a flat for her, and later she occupied a house in Rue de
Moscou, the rent of which was twenty thousand francs. In the end she
realized her dream of a princely house in the Avenue de Villiers;
the site was bought by one lover, the house built by another, and the
furniture provided by a third. But fortune did not alter her tastes;
behind the backs of her serious lovers she still retained her fancy
for Art, in the person of Henri Fagerolles, one of her early admirers.
L'Oeuvre.

BEC-SALE, alias BOIT-SANS-SOIF, a rivet-maker employed in the same
factory as Goujet