# Count de St. Alyre — The Room in the Dragon Volant character guide > Count de St. Alyre in The Room in the Dragon Volant by J. Sheridan Le Fanu. **Role:** major **Also known as:** the Count de St. Alyre, Count de St. Alyre, The old Count de St. Alyre, The Count, the Count St. Alyre **First appearance:** 0002-i-on-the-road ## Snapshot An elderly nobleman whose stiff courtesy and evasive answers about his household conceal a jealousy sharp enough to make his young wife a prisoner. ## Who they are The Count de St. Alyre moves through the Versailles crowd in mask and domino, polite to the narrator yet strangely guarded about where he lives and whom he keeps near him. His marriage is a battlefield: the conjuror's palanquin answers that he loves his wife's diamonds better than his wife, and the Marquis laughs. His possessiveness and his obsession with the Countess's jewels set the emotional weather of the whole intrigue. ## Relationships ### [Monsieur Carmaignac](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/characters/monsieur_carmaignac) _rivalry_ The Count and Carmaignac are adversaries, with Carmaignac suspecting the Count of criminal activity. ### [Richard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/characters/richard) _professional_ Richard is a servant or employee of the Count, assisting in his household affairs. ### [Marquis d'Harmonville](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/characters/marquis_d_harmonville) _rivalry_ The Marquis and the Count are secret enemies, with the Marquis working to expose the Count's crimes. ### [Planard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/characters/planard) _professional_ Planard is an accomplice of the Count, assisting in his schemes against the narrator. ### [Colonel Gaillarde](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/characters/colonel_gaillarde) _social_ Colonel Gaillarde and the Count are polite but distant acquaintances in the local social scene. ### [Monsieur Carmaignac](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/characters/monsieur_carmaignac) _rivalry_ The Count and Carmaignac are adversaries, with Carmaignac suspecting the Count of criminal activity. ### [Planard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/characters/planard) _professional_ Planard is an accomplice of the Count, assisting in his schemes against the narrator. ### [Marquis d'Harmonville](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/characters/marquis_d_harmonville) _rivalry_ The Marquis and the Count are secret enemies, with the Marquis working to expose the Count's crimes. ### [Richard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/characters/richard) _professional_ Richard is a servant or employee of the Count, assisting in his household affairs. ### [Monsieur Carmaignac](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/characters/monsieur_carmaignac) _rivalry_ The Count and Carmaignac are adversaries, with Carmaignac suspecting the Count of criminal activity. ### [Colonel Gaillarde](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/characters/colonel_gaillarde) _social_ Colonel Gaillarde and the Count are polite but distant acquaintances in the local social scene. ### [Colonel Gaillarde](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/characters/colonel_gaillarde) _social_ Colonel Gaillarde and the Count are polite but distant acquaintances in the local social scene. ## In the story ### [I: On the Road](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/i-on-the-road) The elderly invalid gentleman in the broken-down carriage, wearing a black muffler and black wig; he thanks the narrator profusely in French. ### [II: The Innyard of the Belle Étoile](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/ii-the-innyard-of-the-belle-toile) The elderly gentleman with a black wig and reedy voice; the Countess's husband or guardian; his voice is heard approaching during the narrator's conversation with the Countess. ### [III: Death and Love Together Mated](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/iii-death-and-love-together-mated) Speaks with a reedy, nasal voice; rebukes the Countess for singing and shuts the window abruptly. ### [Supper at the Belle Étoile](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/v-supper-at-the-belle-toile) Mentioned by the Marquis as a man of honour who is jealously protective of his young wife; not present at supper. ### [The Naked Sword](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/vi-the-naked-sword) Confronted by Colonel Gaillarde while trying to leave the inn; his face is partly covered by a black silk scarf. ### [VII: The White Rose](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/vii-the-white-rose) Flees the scene quickly after the altercation, leaving the Countess to be escorted by the narrator. ### [IX: Gossip and Counsel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/ix-gossip-and-counsel) Mentioned as jealous, intelligent, and living quietly with his wife; involved in a dispute over the Countess's diamonds. ### [X: The Black Veil](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/x-the-black-veil) Seen briefly in the barouche with the Countess. ### [XI: The Dragon Volant](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/xi-the-dragon-volant) Owner of the Château de la Carque; described as old, possibly poor, and married to a young and handsome wife. ### [XII: The Magician](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/xii-the-magician) Present in a domino mask, consults the magician and receives personal and unsettling answers about his marriage and a secret settlement. ### [XIII: The Oracle Tells Me Wonders](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/xiii-the-oracle-tells-me-wonders) Briefly mentioned as having gone away to look for his wife. ### [XIV: Mademoiselle de la Vallière](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/xiv-mademoiselle-de-la-valli-re) Jealous and cunning; avoids introducing the narrator to his wife as predicted. ### [XVI: The Parc of the Château de la Carque](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/xvi-the-parc-of-the-ch-teau-de-la-carque) Mentioned as the jealous husband of the Countess. ### [XVII: The Tenant of the Palanquin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/xvii-the-tenant-of-the-palanquin) Appears at the narrator's hotel with his arm in a sling, requesting help with funeral arrangements for his cousin. ### [XIX: The Key](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/xix-the-key) Mentioned as the husband from whom the Countess plans to flee; he will attend the funeral of Monsieur de St. Amand. ### [XX: A High-Cauld-Cap](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/xx-a-high-cauld-cap) Mentioned as the jealous husband whose suspicions the old woman fears. ### [XXII: Rapture](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/xxii-rapture) Mentioned as having gone to Père la Chaise with the funeral. ### [XXIV: Hope](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/xxiv-hope) Enters the room, counts the narrator's gold and notes with the Countess, and complains about Planard's delay. ### [XXV: Despair](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/xxv-despair) The Count assists Planard in examining the narrator and prepares the coffin. ### [XXVI: Catastrophe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/chapters/xxvi-catastrophe) Executed for his role in the conspiracy. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/characters/count_de_st_alyre - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_room_in_the_dragon_volant_se/characters