← All characters

Shorts from Scenes from Private Life · Character

Derville

A shrewd and discreet Parisian lawyer whose intimate knowledge of his clients' secrets makes him both confidant and witness to their tragedies.

major

Also known as M. Derville, Monsieur Derville, dear M. Derville

First appearance: Gobseck

As a major figure in Shorts from Scenes from Private Life, Derville is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Narrates the story of Gobseck, describing his character and business dealings.
In the storyGobseckOpen this moment free

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

Derville moves through the drawing-rooms and back offices of Restoration Paris with the quiet authority of a man who knows where the money and the skeletons are buried. Trusted by the great families who retain him, he…

Continue beside the text

The fuller portrait of Derville sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Derville in Gobseck

Character Web

65 connections

A slice of how Derville sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

MDMadame de Beau…CCColonel ChabertCFCount FérédiaAGAugustine Guil…EDEmilie de Font…DEDerville

Relationship types

  • Professional
  • Other

Character groups

  • Protagonist
  • Parisian social web
  • Family and pride

+60 more in the full Character Web

Open in reader

Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Climax.

SetupEscalationAftermathClimax
  • Setup
  • Escalation
  • Breaking point
  • Aftermath
  • Closing

In this excerpt, the emotional and psychological peak occurs when the Vicomtesse de Grandlieu directly confron…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

Follow the arc while reading

Relationships

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Derville in Gobseck

In the story

Derville appears across 2 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Derville unlock in the free preview.

See Derville in Gobseck