“Imustconfess，mydearmother，“hesaid，inacantingtone，lookingatMonsieurandMadameHochonwhoaccompaniedher，“thatmyuncle’swayoflifeisnotbecoming；hecould，however，makeMademoiselleBrazierrespectedbythecommunityifhechose。Wouldn’titbefarbetterforhertobeMadameRougetthantheservant-mistressofanoldbachelor？Shehadbetterobtainadefiniterighttohispropertybyamarriagecontractthenthreatenawholefamilywithdisinheritance。Ifyou，orMonsieurHochon，orsomegoodpriestwouldspeakofthemattertobothparties，youmightputastoptothescandalwhichoffendsdecentpeople。MademoiselleBrazierwouldbeonlytoohappyifyouweretowelcomeherasasister，andIasanaunt。“
OnthemorrowAgatheandMadameHochonappearedatFlore’sbedside，andrepeatedtothesickgirlandtoRouget，theexcellentsentimentsexpressedbyPhilippe。ThroughoutIssoudunthecolonelwastalkedofasamanofnoblecharacter，especiallybecauseofhisconducttowardsFlore。Foramonth，theRabouilleuseheardGoddet，herdoctor，theindividualwhohasparamountinfluenceoverasickperson，therespectableMadameHochon，movedbyreligiousprinciple，andAgathe，sogentleandpious，allrepresentingtohertheadvantagesofamarriagewithRouget。Andwhen，attractedbytheideaofbecomingMadameRouget，adignifiedandvirtuousbourgeoisie，shegreweagertorecover，sothatthemarriagemightspeedilybecelebrated，itwasnotdifficulttomakeherunderstandthatshewouldnotbeallowedtoenterthefamilyoftheRougetsifsheintendedtoturnPhilippefromitsdoors。
“Besides，“remarkedthedoctor，“youreallyowehimthisgoodfortune。
MaxwouldneverhaveallowedyoutomarryoldRouget。And，“headdedinherear，“ifyouhavechildren，youcanrevengeMax，forthatwilldisinherittheBridaus。“
TwomonthsafterthefatalduelinFebruary，1823，thesickwoman，urgedbythoseabouther，andimploredbyRouget，consentedtoreceivePhilippe，thesightofwhosescarsmadeherweep，butwhosesoftenedandaffectionatemannercalmedher。ByPhilippe’swishtheywereleftalonetogether。