I am getting better," he said, "it is especially for your sake that
I am glad."

Clotilde, not understanding, looked up and said:

"How is that?"

"Yes, on account of your marriage. Now you will be able to fix the day."

She still seemed surprised.

"Ah, true--my marriage!"

"Shall we decide at once upon the second week in June?"

"Yes, the second week in June; that will do very well."

They spoke no more; she fixed her eyes again on the piece of sewing on
which she was engaged, while he, motionless, and with a grave face, sat
looking into space.

VII.

On this day, on arriving at La Souleiade, old Mme. Rougon perceived
Martine in the kitchen garden, engaged in planting leeks; and, as she
sometimes did, she went over to the servant to have a chat with her, and
find out from her how things were going on, before entering the house.

For some time past she had been in despair about what she called
Clotilde's desertion. She felt truly that she would now never obtain
the documents through her. The girl was behaving disgracefully, she was
siding with Pascal, after all she had done for her; and she was becoming
perverted to such a degree that for a month past she had not been seen
in Church. Thus she returned to her first idea, to get Clotilde away and
win her son over when, left alone, he should be weakened by solitude.
Since she had not been able to persuade the girl to go live with her
brother, she eagerly desired the marriage. She would like to throw her
into Dr. Ramond's arms to-morrow, in her impatience at so many delays.
And she had come this afternoon with a feverish desire to hurry on
matters.

"Good-day, Martine. How is every one here?"

The servant, kneeling down, her hands full of clay, lifted up her pale
face, protected against the sun by a handkerchief tied over her cap.

"As usual, madame, pretty well."

They went on talking, Felicite treating her as a confidante, as a
devoted daughter, one of the family, to whom she could tell everything.
She began by questioning her; she wished to know if Dr. Ramond had come
that morning. He had come, but they had talked only about indifferent
matters. This put her in despair, for she had seen the doctor on the
previous day, and he had unbosomed himself to her, chagrined at not
having yet received a decisive answer, and eager now to obtain at least
Clotilde's promise. Things could not go on in this way, the young girl
must be compelled to engage hersel