# Duke de Champdoce — The Slaves of Paris character guide > Duke de Champdoce in The Slaves of Paris by Émile Gaboriau. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** the Duke de Champdoce, Duke of Champdoce, the parsimonious Duke de Champdoce **First appearance:** 0029-i-a-ducal-monomaniac ## Snapshot A grand name and limitless fortune cannot quiet the Duke de Champdoce, who hides a buried scandal and pays blackmail to keep his ancient house intact. ## Who they are The Duke de Champdoce belongs to one of France's oldest noble lines, yet his marriage is a wreck and his household a mausoleum of concealed shame. He works obsessively to compensate for a neglected education, while his wife's old vengeance and a blackmailer's grip on his letters keep him permanently exposed. His refusal to confront the past, and the price he pays to bury it, quietly drives the schemes that pull Norbert into the story's web. ## Relationships ### [Louis Norbert de Champdoce](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/characters/louis_norbert_de_champdoce) _family_ The Duke is Louis Norbert's stern, authoritarian father who clashes with his son over honor and inheritance. ### [Diana de Laurebourg](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/characters/diana_de_laurebourg) _rivalry_ Diana and the Duke are adversaries, as she schemes against his family and he tries to protect his son from her. ### [Louis Norbert de Champdoce](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/characters/louis_norbert_de_champdoce) _family_ The Duke is Louis Norbert's stern, authoritarian father who clashes with his son over honor and inheritance. ### [Diana de Laurebourg](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/characters/diana_de_laurebourg) _rivalry_ Diana and the Duke are adversaries, as she schemes against his family and he tries to protect his son from her. ### [Diana de Laurebourg](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/characters/diana_de_laurebourg) _rivalry_ Diana and the Duke are adversaries, as she schemes against his family and he tries to protect his son from her. ### [Louis Norbert de Champdoce](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/characters/louis_norbert_de_champdoce) _family_ The Duke is Louis Norbert's stern, authoritarian father who clashes with his son over honor and inheritance. ## In the story ### [Master Chupin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xv-master-chupin) Identified as the resident of the house Caroline Schimmel visits in the Rue de Varennes. ### [Diamond Cut Diamond](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xxii-diamond-cut-diamond) The wealthy Duke who hired Perpignan to find his lost son, and who lives in the Rue de Varennes. ### [Part II: The Champdoce Mystery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/part-ii-the-champdoce-mystery) The parsimonious patriarch whose actions and decisions heavily influence Norbert's fate. ### [II: A Dangerous Acquaintance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/ii-a-dangerous-acquaintance) Norbert's father, whose harsh treatment and past conflicts with Daumon are referenced; he is the target of Daumon's revenge. ### [A Bold Adventure](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/iii-a-bold-adventure) Relaxes his treatment of Norbert, giving him a gun and the role of farm-bailiff, but Norbert's hatred remains. ### [A Financial Transaction](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/iv-a-financial-transaction) Norbert's oppressive father, whose strict control drives Norbert to seek help from his enemy. ### [A Bad Start](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/v-a-bad-start) Norbert's father, who calls out to him upon his return home. ### [The Count de Puymandour](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/vi-the-count-de-puymandour) Abruptly informs Norbert that he has found a wife for him and that the marriage will take place in two months. ### [An Unlucky Blow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/vii-an-unlucky-blow) Enraged by Norbert's defiance, confronts Diana, imprisons Norbert, and suspects a woman's influence. ### [VIII: The Little Glass Bottle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/viii-the-little-glass-bottle) Attempts reconciliation with Norbert but nearly drinks poison; collapses after Norbert snatches the glass. ### [IX: The Honor of the Name](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/ix-the-honor-of-the-name) The father of Norbert; he had proposed the marriage alliance with Puymandour, but is now reported to be seriously ill. ### [X: A Thunderbolt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/x-a-thunderbolt) Lies ill, then appears as an idiot, a result of the attempted poisoning. ### [XI: Marriage Bells; Funeral Knells](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xi-marriage-bells-funeral-knells) Suffers from mental decline, briefly recovers to forgive Norbert, then dies in anguish upon learning the marriage has already taken place. ### [A Scheme of Vengeance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xiii-a-scheme-of-vengeance) Deceased; his parsimony and extravagance are recalled in the description of the Paris house. ### [False Friend, Old Lover](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xiv-false-friend-old-lover) Norbert feigns affection for his wife Marie and arranges for Diana de Mussidan to visit, all while secretly continuing his affair with Diana. ### [A Stab in the Dark](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xv-a-stab-in-the-dark) Receives an anonymous letter accusing his wife of infidelity; struggles with doubt and decides to spy on her. ### [A Sudden Check](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xx-a-sudden-check) Target of the deception; mentioned as the father of the lost child and the one to be convinced. ### [The Day of Reckoning](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xxxiv-the-day-of-reckoning) The Duke, believing Paul to be his son, visits the banker's house and is present during Lecoq's raid, bewildered by the commotion. ### [Every Man to His Own Place](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xxxv-every-man-to-his-own-place) Reluctantly acknowledges André as his son and eventually consents to his marriage with Sabine. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/characters/duke_de_champdoce - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/characters