His mother had found a suitable girl, a lace-mender like herself, whom she was urging him to marry.

He had agreed so as not to hurt her feelings and the wedding had been set for early September.

Money had long since been saved to set them up in housekeeping.

However, when Gervaise referred to his coming marriage, he shook his head, saying, "Not every woman is like you, Madame Coupeau.

If all women were like you, I'd marry ten of them." At the end of two months, Coupeau was able to get up.