Zola's financial
position was, however, by the arrangement with his publisher now more
secure, and he felt justified in marrying. This he did, and settled down
into the quiet bourgeois existence in which his life was spent.
The next book was _La Curee_, a study of the mushroom society of the
Second Empire. The subject--the story of Phaedra adapted to modern
environment--is unpleasant and the treatment is daring; but despite a
slight _succes de scandale_, its reception by the public was no more
favorable than that of _La Fortune des Rougon_.
_La Curee_ was followed by _Le Ventre de Paris_, which reached a second
edition. It contained some excellent descriptive writing, but was
severely attacked by certain critics, who denounced it as the apotheosis
of gluttony, while they resented the transference of a pork butcher's
shop to literature and took particular exceptions to a certain "symphony
of cheeses."
Next came _La Conquete de Plassans_, an excellent story, to be followed
by _La Faute de l'Abbe Mouret_, one of Zola's most romantic books,
and the first to attain any considerable success.
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