Thérèse Raquin: Chapter 19 Summary & Analysis

Putting their plan to get married in motion, Thérèse starts acting glum and depressed around Madame Raquin. Her aunt is deeply concerned, so she asks Michaud what to do, and Michaud says the solution is obvious: Thérèse needs a new husband. At first, Madame Raquin is taken aback by such a suggestion, not yet ready to move on from her son’s death. Slowly but surely, though, she comes around to the idea. The problem, however, is that she fears marrying Thérèse off to a stranger, not wanting that person to come into her own life and disrupt things—after all, she has 40,000 francs of savings, so she doesn’t want someone untrustworthy to have access to that kind of money.  

As Thérèse acts depressed, Laurent turns on the charm. He starts coming to the haberdashery all the time and showering Madame Raquin in affection. He also speaks frequently about Camille in admiring tones, and since everyone else avoids the subject, this endears him to the old woman. He has noticed that anytime Camille’s name comes up, Madame Raquin becomes extremely emotional, so he uses her emotional vulnerability to his own benefit—she becomes especially “compliant” when she’s weeping. One thing he doesn’t like, though, is that Thérèse watches him in a strange way when he talks about Camille, causing him to wonder if she really believes the positive things he says about the dead man—a thought that makes him jealous.

One Thursday, Laurent comes to the weekly social gathering at the haberdashery, makes his way to Thérèse, and—in front of everyone—kindly asks how she has been holding up. As he speaks in soothing tones, Michaud pulls Madame Raquin aside and says Laurent is the husband Thérèse needs—a solution Madame Raquin finds very agreeable, since she already trusts Laurent and almost sees him as a son. On the walk home that night, Michaud proposes the idea to Laurent, proud of himself for being such a savvy matchmaker. Meanwhile, Madame Raquin broaches the topic with Thérèse. In both cases, the lovers resist at first but eventually agree to marry.

The next day, Laurent goes to the haberdashery and asks Thérèse in front of Madame Raquin and Michaud if she wants to make her “aunt’s existence a happy and peaceful one.” Thérèse says yes, adding that they have to “fulfil [their] duty.” They clasp hands, and then Laurent turns to Madame Raquin and says that Camille said, as he was falling out of the boat, to save Thérèse—which, he says, is exactly what he’s doing by marrying her now, effectively acting on Camille’s “last wish.” Madame Raquin is touched by the sentiment, but Thérèse is appalled. She drops Laurent’s hand, stunned by his audacity.

Michaud urges the lovers to kiss, so they do. When their lips meet, they both feel uncomfortable and odd—Thérèse even backs away as if she has been burned. In the following days, Laurent writes for permission from his father, who responds by saying that he doesn’t care what his son does. Madame Raquin feels so bad when Laurent shows her the letter that she signs over her 40,000 francs of savings to the newlyweds. It’s agreed that Laurent won’t have to bring in any money; he even makes it clear that he intends to retire.