# Maurice d'Esparvieu — The Revolt of the Angels character guide > Maurice d'Esparvieu in The Revolt of the Angels by Anatole France. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Maurice, young Maurice, Monsieur Maurice, Young d'Esparvieu, Monsieur Maurice d'Esparvieu, young Maurice d'Esparvieu **First appearance:** 0000-i ## Snapshot A wealthy young Parisian whose comfortable faith is shattered when his own guardian angel announces he's joining a celestial rebellion. ## Who they are Maurice d'Esparvieu is a well-off young man of fashionable Paris, living on family money and entangled with a married woman, Madame des Aubels. When his guardian angel Arcade abruptly renounces Heaven and walks out, Maurice is left genuinely frightened — not of damnation so much as of facing life without the spiritual support he'd always assumed was there. His helpless, half-comic attempts to reason with Arcade and his alarm at the angel's blasphemous reading matter anchor the novel's opening and give the cosmic revolt its first human witness. ## In the story ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/i) René's elder son, a young barrister of lukewarm faith, moderate zeal, and a warm heart hidden beneath a conventional exterior. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/ii) Mentioned as the young pupil to whom Sariette became tutor in 1895. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/iii) Mentioned as a possible suspect due to his anti-Semitic views, though unlikely to have moved the books. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/iv) His revolver is borrowed by Sariette for the night vigil. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/v) Yawns and expresses preference for Matisse and Metzinger, then inwardly schemes to get money from his mother. ### [Wherein Père Sariette discovers his missing treasures](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/vi) Informs Sariette about the books in his garden-house, leading to the recovery of the missing items. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/vii) Young Maurice, who threatens to leave home due to the surveillance and later hears a mysterious voice in the summerhouse. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/viii) Feels a void in his heart; pursues Gilberte des Aubels; arranges a secret meeting and kisses her in the library. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/ix) Awaiting Gilberte in his flat, wearing flowered pyjamas; feels constancy and fidelity toward her, but is careful with money. ### [The Angel's Confession](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/x) Listens to Arcade's confession, expresses disbelief and mocks the idea of rebellion, but is gradually drawn into the conversation. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/xi) Maurice procures clothes for Arcade and confronts the loss of his guardian angel. ### [Chapter XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/xv) Bewildered and lonely after Arcade's departure, he seeks Abbé Patouille's help and places a newspaper ad to find his angel. ### [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/xvi) Desperate to find his angel, he consults Madame Mira and retrieves the Lucretius talisman. ### [Chapter XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/xxiii) Visits Bouchotte as a messenger for Madame de la Verdelière and becomes intimate with her. ### [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/xxv) Finds Arcade again, expresses his need for him, and offers to be his guardian angel. ### [XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/xxvii) Jealous of Arcade's relationship with Bouchotte, argues about religion and morality, and helps Arcade evade police surveillance. ### [Chapter XXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/xxviii) Confronted by his parents for his relationship with Bouchotte and his forged signatures; responds with insolence and exposes family secrets. ### [Chapter XXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/xxix) Discovers Gilberte and Arcade together, becomes furious, challenges Arcade to a duel, then wanders the streets in despair. ### [The Wounded Angel and the Skeptical World](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/xxx) Wounded from a duel, reconciled with Arcade and Gilberte, expresses contentment. ### [XXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/xxxii) Convalescing from his wound; mocks Abbé Patouille by claiming his guardian angel has forgotten his catechism; accompanies Arcade and Zita to Clodomir's. ### [XXXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/xxxiii) Fences left-handed with the Japanese angel, fires his revolver and kills Inspector Grolle, then expresses guilt and blames Arcade for leading him astray. ### [XXXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/chapters/xxxiv) Experiences relief and then despair; arrested and later released; weeps as Arcade departs. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/characters/maurice_desparvieu - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_revolt_of_the_angels_se/characters