# Peyrol — The Rover character guide > Peyrol in The Rover by Joseph Conrad. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Master Gunner Peyrol, old Peyrol, Citizen Peyrol, the gunner Peyrol, the farmer Peyrol, Maître Peyrol, Papa Peyrol **First appearance:** 0002-the-rover ## Snapshot An old gunner who has ranged lawless oceans for decades, Peyrol returns to his native crag to farm, carrying a rover's cunning and a longing for one last great deed. ## Who they are Peyrol has come back to Escampobar Farm on the peninsula above a salt lagoon, a disinherited soul circling his birthplace like a seabird in the dusk. He schemes with a naval lieutenant over false dispatches meant to deceive an English admiral, yet his deepest loyalty is torn between the cosmopolitan seaman he was and the inland multitude he barely knows. His patient craft and unreadable silences make him the pivot on which the coastal intrigue turns. ## Relationships ### [Lieutenant Réal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/characters/lieutenant_real) _rivalry_ A tense, adversarial dynamic where Réal, as a Republican officer, clashes with Peyrol's royalist past and independent ways, yet they develop a grudging mutual respect. ### [Aunt Catherine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/characters/aunt_catherine) _family_ A deep, protective familial bond, with Catherine acting as a moral anchor and surrogate mother figure to the aging Peyrol. ### [Michel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/characters/michel) _friendship_ A loyal, almost filial companionship, with Michel devoted to Peyrol as a mentor and father figure, sharing his quiet, observant nature. ### [Arlette](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/characters/arlette) _psychological_ A complex, obsessive bond where Peyrol is both haunted by Arlette's traumatic past and drawn to her as a symbol of redemption and vitality. ### [The Officer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/characters/the_officer) _professional_ A formal, duty-bound relationship between a seasoned seaman and a naval officer, marked by mutual suspicion but operational necessity. ### [Symons](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/characters/symons) _friendship_ A camaraderie born of shared seafaring life, with Symons as a rough, loyal companion to Peyrol in their maritime adventures. ### [Amelia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/characters/amelia) _family_ A warm, affectionate bond, with Amelia as a younger relative or close family friend who brings lightness to Peyrol's later years. ### [Captain Vincent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/characters/captain_vincent) _professional_ A respectful but distant professional relationship, with Vincent recognizing Peyrol's experience while maintaining command authority. ### [Lieutenant Réal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/characters/lieutenant_real) _rivalry_ A tense, adversarial dynamic where Réal, as a Republican officer, clashes with Peyrol's royalist past and independent ways, yet they develop a grudging mutual respect. ### [Lieutenant Réal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/characters/lieutenant_real) _rivalry_ A tense, adversarial dynamic where Réal, as a Republican officer, clashes with Peyrol's royalist past and independent ways, yet they develop a grudging mutual respect. ### [Aunt Catherine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/characters/aunt_catherine) _family_ A deep, protective familial bond, with Catherine acting as a moral anchor and surrogate mother figure to the aging Peyrol. ### [Michel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/characters/michel) _friendship_ A loyal, almost filial companionship, with Michel devoted to Peyrol as a mentor and father figure, sharing his quiet, observant nature. ## In the story ### [The Rover](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/the-rover) Returns to Toulon, hides treasure, and settles at Escampobar Farm. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/i) Citizen Peyrol arrives in Toulon, handles official inquiries about his past, and travels inland, reflecting on his origins. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/ii) Peyrol hides his treasure in a canvas waistcoat and travels to the Giens peninsula, feeling like a stranger in his native land. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/iii) Settles into the attic room at Escampobar, contemplates his treasure, and reflects on his past life as a pirate. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/iv) Shaves and dresses for Sunday, exchanges jokes with Aunt Catherine, discusses the English ship with Réal, and questions Arlette about her nighttime roaming. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/vi) Watches the Amelia and comments on her movements; remains calm when accused by Réal of knowing about the boat; explains the risks of being seen. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/vii) Observes the household, acquires the tartane from Scevola, and begins fitting it out, showing his restless energy and curiosity about Arlette. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/viii) Engages with Réal, showing both reluctance and cunning as he contemplates the deception plan. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/ix) Confronts his prisoner Symons with a mix of menace and curiosity, reflecting on his own age and the necessity of decisive action. ### [The Watch on the Peninsula](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/x) Observes the sea and the Amelia, contemplates the deception plan, and reflects on his past and the people at the farm. ### [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/xi) Peyrol discusses Arlette's change with Catherine and is confronted by Arlette's emotional outburst. ### [Chapter XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/xii) After returning from the tartane, he remains in the salle, waiting for Réal. He reflects on his encounter with Symons and hears the Amelia's guns, understanding their significance. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/xiii) Observes Symons' escape and rescue, feeling a sense of loss as the English boats carry away a part of his past. ### [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/xiv) Meets Réal in silence, senses his turmoil, and contemplates the deception and Réal's fate. ### [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/xv) Peyrol prepares the tartane, locks Scevola in the cabin, and plans the deception. He is tense and conflicted about Réal's mission. ### [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/xvi) Dies heroically after ensuring the false dispatches are delivered, smiling at the memory of his adventurous life. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/characters/peyrol - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rover_se/characters