It was only at this period that the idea of marrying Christine came to Claude.  Though yielding to the advice of Sandoz, who expressed his surprise at the prolongation of an irregular situation which no circumstances justified, he more particularly gave way to a feeling of pity, to a desire to show himself kind to his mistress, and to win forgiveness for his delinquencies.  He had seen her so sad of late, so uneasy with respect to the future, that he did not know how to revive her spirits.  He himself was growing soured, and relapsing into his former fits of anger, treating her, at times, like a servant, to whom one flings a week’s notice.  Being his lawful wife, she would, no doubt, feel herself more in her rightful home, and would suffer less from his rough behaviour.  She herself, for that matter, had never again spoken of marriage.  She seemed to care nothing for earthly things, but entirely reposed upon him; however, he understood well enough that it grieved her that she was not able to visit at Sandoz’s.  Besides, they no longer lived amid the freedom and solitude of the country; they were in Paris, with its thousand and one petty spites, everything that is calculated to wound a woman in an irregular position.  In reality, he had nothing against marriage save his old prejudices, those of an artist who takes life as he lists.  Since he was never to leave her, why not afford her that pleasure?  And, in fact, when he spoke to her about it, she gave a loud cry and threw her arms round his neck, surprised at experiencing such great emotion.  During a whole week it made her feel thoroughly happy.  But her joy subsided long before the ceremony.

Moreover, Claude did not hurry over any of the formalities, and they had to wait a long while for the necessary papers.  He continued getting the sketches for his picture together, and she, like himself, did not seem in the least impatient.  What was the good?  It would assuredly make no difference in their life.  They had decided to be married merely at the municipal offices, not in view of displaying any contempt for religion, but to get the affair over quickly and simply.  That would suffice.  The question of witnesses embarrassed them for a moment.  As she was absolutely unacquainted with anybody, he selected Sandoz and Mahoudeau to act for her.  For a moment he had thought of replacing the latter by Dubuche, but he never saw the architect now, and he feared to compromise him.  He, Claude, would be content with Jory and Gagniere.  In that way the affair would pass off among friends, and nobody would talk of it.

Several weeks had gone by; they were in December, and the weather proved terribly cold.  On the day before the wedding, although they barely had thirty-five francs left them, they agreed that they could not send their witnesses away with a mere shake of the hand; and, rather than have a lot of trouble in the studio, they decided to offer them lunch at a small restaurant on the Boulevard de Clichy, after which they would all go home.