They wouldn't think it decent if they saw them getting married barely two months later.
Coupeau replied by shrugging his shoulders.

He didn't care about the neighbors! He never bothered about their affairs.

So, there was Lantier before him, well, so what?
What's so bad about that?
She hadn't been constantly bringing men upstairs, as some women did, even rich ladies! The children would grow up, they'd raise them right.

Never had he known before such a woman, such sound character, so good-hearted.

Anyway, she could have been anything, a streetwalker, ugly, lazy and good-for-nothing, with a whole gang of dirty kids, and so what?
He wanted her.
"Yes, I want you," he repeated, bringing his hand down on his knee with a continuos hammering.