Marseilles, close to the seashore. She had no
children by her second marriage. Le Docteur Pascal.

MOURET (OCTAVE), born 1840, son of Francois Mouret. La Fortune des
Rougon.

A young man of high spirits and somewhat idle habits, he made little
progress at college, and failed to pass the examinations for a degree.
His father was much annoyed at this, and sent him off to Marseilles to
enter a commercial business. The reports regarding him were, however,
unsatisfactory, as it appeared that he showed no inclination to
settle to hard work and was living a dissolute life.[*] La Conquete de
Plassans.

After the death of his parents, Serge Mouret, who was about to take Holy
Orders, renounced his share of his father's fortune in favour of his
brother Octave. La Faute de l'Abbe Mouret.

He was appointed a member of the family council which nominally had
charge of Pauline Quenu's fortune. La Joie de Vivre.

After three years at Marseilles he came to Paris, where he secured an
appointment as assistant at "The Ladies' Paradise" through the influence
of the Campardons, who were old friends of his mother. He formed the
project of advancing his prospects by making love to Madame Hedouin,
wife of his employer, but she gave him no encouragement. He resigned his
situation, and went as salesman to Auguste Vabre, a neighbouring silk
merchant. Vabre's wife (nee Berthe Josserand) was not on good terms with
her husband, and a liaison was formed between her and Octave Mouret,
which subsisted for some time before it was discovered by Vabre, who
received information from Rachael, his maid-servant. Mouret returned to
his former employment at "The Ladies' Paradise," and M. Hedouin having
died in the interval, he married the widow a few months afterwards. He
had developed keen business ability, with large ideas, and under his
management the shop became one of the most important in the district.
Pot-Bouille.

In Mouret's hands the business of "The Ladies' Paradise" continued to
grow, and repeated extensions of the building became necessary. While
one of these was in progress, Madame Mouret, who was inspecting the
work, fell into a hole, and as a result of her injuries died three
days afterwards. Mouret remained a widower, and devoted himself to the
extension of his business, though it was believed that a liaison with
Madame Desforges was not the only entanglement of its kind. On the
introduction of Madame Desforges he came to know Baron Hartm