_maire_, seems to her to be a secondary
thing. Here also one cannot understand her, because a true love would
wish to make the knot lasting. That which really happens is quite
different, in the novel, that first separation is the end of the
relation between them. Were they married at least by a _maire_, they
would have remained even in the separation husband and wife, they
would not cease to belong to each other; but as they were not married,
therefore at the moment of her departure he became unmarried, as
formerly, Doctor Pascal, she--seduced Clotilde. Even during their life
in common there happened a thousand disagreeable incidents for both of
them. One time, for instance, Clotilde rushes crying and red, and when
the frightened doctor asks her what is the matter, she answers:

"Ah, those women! Walking in the shade, I closed my parasol and I hurt
a child. In that moment all of the women fell on me and began to shout
such things! Ah, it was so dreadful! that I shall never have any
children, that such things are not for such a dishcloth as I! and many
other things which I cannot repeat; I do not wish to repeat them; I do
not even understand them."

Her breast was moved by sobbings; he became pale, and seizing her by
the shoulders, commenced to cover her face with kisses, saying:

"It's my fault, you suffer through me! Listen, we will go very far
from here, where no one knows us, where everybody will greet you and
you shall be happy."

Only one thing does not come to their minds: to be married. When
Pascal's mother speaks to him about it, they do not listen to it. It
is not dictated to her by woman's modesty, to him by the care for her
and the desire to shelter her from insults. Why? Because Zola likes it
that way.

But perhaps he cares to show what tragical results are produced
by illegitimate marriages? Not at all. He shares the doctor's and
Clotilde's opinion. Were they married, there would be no drama, and
the author wishes to have it. That is the reason.

Then comes the doctor's insolvency. One must separate. This separation
becomes the misfortune of their lives: the doctor will die of it. Both
feel that it will not be the end, they do not wish it--and they do not
think of any means which would forever affirm their mutual dependence
and change the departure for only a momentary separation, but not for
eternal farewells: and they do not marry.

They did not have any religion, therefore they did not wish for a