More than a year went by before Adelaide had a son.

The Faubourg was annoyed; it could not admit that it was wrong, and determined to penetrate the supposed mystery; accordingly all the gossips kept a watch upon the Rougons.

They soon found ample matter for tittle-tattle.

Rougon died almost suddenly, fifteen months after his marriage, from a sunstroke received one afternoon while he was weeding a bed of carrots.
Scarcely a year then elapsed before the young widow caused unheard-of scandal.

It became known, as an indisputable fact, that she had a lover.
She did not appear to make any secret of it; several persons asserted that they had heard her use endearing terms in public to poor Rougon's successor.