# Daddy Tantaine — The Slaves of Paris character guide > Daddy Tantaine in The Slaves of Paris by Émile Gaboriau. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Tantaine, old Tantaine, Father Tantaine, Old Daddy Tantaine **First appearance:** 0000-part-i-caught-in-the-net ## Snapshot A doddering old rogue with a saint's smile and a criminal's memory, who buys desperate young men with five hundred francs and owns them afterward. ## Who they are Daddy Tantaine presents himself as a harmless, garrulous old man, but he is the recruiting hand of a criminal association run from Mascarin's registry office, and his five hundred francs to Paul Violaine are an investment, not a kindness. He flatters Norbert as the 'Young Savage of Champdoce,' drops Diana's name to make him blush, and speaks of the boy's father's millions with a jeweler's eye. His genial chatter is the doorway through which the innocent are led into the web, and he never forgets a debt or a face. ## Relationships ### [Paul Violaine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/characters/paul_violaine) _psychological_ Daddy Tantaine is a cunning old criminal who psychologically entraps Paul Violaine, using him as a pawn. ### [Toto Chupin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/characters/toto_chupin) _professional_ Daddy Tantaine is the mentor and boss of Toto Chupin, a young criminal in their underworld network. ### [Paul Violaine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/characters/paul_violaine) _psychological_ Daddy Tantaine is a cunning old criminal who psychologically entraps Paul Violaine, using him as a pawn. ### [Toto Chupin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/characters/toto_chupin) _professional_ Daddy Tantaine is the mentor and boss of Toto Chupin, a young criminal in their underworld network. ### [Toto Chupin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/characters/toto_chupin) _professional_ Daddy Tantaine is the mentor and boss of Toto Chupin, a young criminal in their underworld network. ### [Paul Violaine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/characters/paul_violaine) _psychological_ Daddy Tantaine is a cunning old criminal who psychologically entraps Paul Violaine, using him as a pawn. ## In the story ### [Part I: Caught in the Net](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/part-i-caught-in-the-net) Mascarin's cunning associate, involved in executing the scheme. ### [Putting on the Screw](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/i-putting-on-the-screw) The shabby, seemingly poor neighbor who overhears the couple's quarrel, offers help, gives Paul a card for Mascarin, and later reveals hidden wealth. ### [A Registry Office](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/ii-a-registry-office) Referenced as the friend who sent Paul to Mascarin; not present in the chapter. ### [In the Studio](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/vii-in-the-studio) Mentioned as having loaned Paul five hundred francs earlier that day, part of the chain of events leading to Paul's visit. ### [Master Chupin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xv-master-chupin) Intervenes in the quarrel, authorizes the payment to Chupin, and extracts intelligence about Caroline Schimmel and a harpist following her. ### [A Turn of the Screw](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xvi-a-turn-of-the-screw) Mentioned as being with Mascarin earlier, but not present during the main discussion. ### [An Academy of Music](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xxi-an-academy-of-music) Visits Hortebise with news about Sabine and Croisenois; then seeks out Perpignan, eventually arriving at the music academy. ### [Diamond Cut Diamond](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xxii-diamond-cut-diamond) Visits Perpignan at his music academy, posing as Mascarin's right-hand man, and skillfully extracts information about the Duke de Champdoce's search for a lost child. ### [XXV: A New Skin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xxv-a-new-skin) Reveals the threat from Sabine, André, and Breulh-Faverlay; insists on continuing the scheme and hints at eliminating André. ### [At the Grand Turk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xxvi-at-the-grand-turk) Visits Zora's house, learns of her arrest, gathers intelligence, and confronts Toto Chupin at the Grand Turk. ### [Mascarin Moves](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xxvi-mascarin-moves) Dispatched by Mascarin to the Mussidan household to advance the blackmail scheme; his shabby appearance initially causes the footman to dismiss him, but Mascarin's card gains him entry. ### [A Cruel Slur](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xxvii-a-cruel-slur) Acts as Mascarin's envoy, delivering the blackmail demands to Count de Mussidan with cynical audacity. ### [The Tempter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xxviii-the-tempter) Orchestrates Paul's recovery and recruitment of Toto Chupin; expresses desire to break from Mascarin. ### [The Tafila Copper Mines, Limited](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xxix-the-tafila-copper-mines-limited) Shows remorse after hearing Paul's true feelings for Flavia; later outlines a plan to kill André and frame Toto Chupin. ### [Gaston's Dilemma](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xxxi-gaston-s-dilemma) Mentioned by Zora as the old blackguard who paid Paul and tried to separate her from Paul. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/characters/daddy_tantaine - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/characters