The Elusive Pimpernel · Character
Citizen Chauvelin
A disgraced French agent with a mind like a trap, staking his life on one last scheme to catch the Englishman who humiliated him.
major
Also known as Chauvelin, Monsieur Chauvelin, Ambassador Chauvelin
First appearance: i paris 1793
As a major figure in The Elusive Pimpernel, Citizen Chauvelin is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Chauvelin is determined to capture the Scarlet Pimpernel, using every means at his disposal to outwit his elusive foe.
Chauvelin returns to England as the Committee of Public Safety's most patient hunter, having already failed once to snare the Scarlet Pimpernel. He knows the enemy's weakness is not vanity but love, and he builds his plan around Lady Blakeney with the cold precision of a man who has nothing left to lose. His letters to Robespierre promise a capture in four days; the novel's tension is whether his cleverness will outrun his quarry's nerve.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
Character Web
23 connectionsA slice of how Citizen Chauvelin sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Rivalry
- Psychological
- Professional
- Other
Character groups
- Revolutionary antagonists and targets
- Protagonist
+18 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
This is the story's dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak where Marguerite's u…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Sir Percy Blakeney
rivalry · negative
Chauvelin is obsessively hunting Sir Percy, the Scarlet Pimpernel, as his primary enemy… How this plays out →
- Marguerite Blakeney
psychological · negative
- Collot d'Herbois
professional · ambivalent
- Robespierre
professional · ambivalent
- Sir Percy Blakeney
rivalry · negative
Chauvelin is obsessively hunting Sir Percy, the Scarlet Pimpernel, as his primary enemy… How this plays out →
- Sir Percy Blakeney
rivalry · negative
Chauvelin is obsessively hunting Sir Percy, the Scarlet Pimpernel, as his primary enemy… How this plays out →
- Marguerite Blakeney
psychological · negative
- Marguerite Blakeney
psychological · negative
- Robespierre
professional · ambivalent
- Collot d'Herbois
professional · ambivalent
- Collot d'Herbois
professional · ambivalent
- Robespierre
professional · ambivalent
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Citizen Chauvelin in i paris 1793In the story
Citizen Chauvelin appears across 28 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
- The Elusive Pimpernel
- II: A Retrospect
- III: Ex-Ambassador Chauvelin
- VII: Premonition
- The Invitation
- IX: Demoiselle Candeille
- Lady Blakeney's Rout
- The Challenge
- +20 more
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Citizen Chauvelin unlock in the free preview.
See Citizen Chauvelin in i paris 1793