armadale-第138章

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way。〃

〃Here's　a　bit　that's　more　in　our　way：　'Incapacities。　If　any
persons　under　legal　incapacities　come　together；　it　is　a
meretricious；　and　not　a　matrimonial　union。'　（Blackstone's　a　good
one　at　long　words；　isn't　he？　I　wonder　what　he　means　by
meretricious？）　'The　first　of　these　legal　disabilities　is　a　prior
marriage；　and　having　another　husband　or　wife　living'　〃

〃Stop！〃　said　Neelie；　〃I　must　make　a　note　of　that。〃　She　gravely
made　her　first　entry　on　the　page　headed　〃Good；〃　as　follows：　〃I
have　no　husband；　and　Allan　has　no　wife。　We　are　both　entirely
unmarried　at　the　present　time。〃

〃All　right；　so　far；〃　remarked　Allan；　looking　over　her　shoulder。

〃Go　on；〃　said　Neelie。　〃What　next？〃

〃　'The　next　disability；'　〃　proceeded　Allan；　〃　'is　want　of　age。
The　age　for　consent　to　matrimony　is；　fourteen　in　males；　and
twelve　in　females。'　Come！〃　cried　Allan；　cheerfully；　〃Blackstone
begins　early　enough；　at　any　rate！〃

Neelie　was　too　business…like　to　make　any　other　remark；　on　her
side；　than　the　necessary　remark　in　the　pocket…book。　She　made
another　entry　under　the　head　of　〃Good〃：　〃I　am　old　enough　to
consent；　and　so　is　Allan　too。　Go　on；〃　resumed　Neelie；　looking
over　the　reader's　shoulder。　〃Never　mind　all　that　prosing　of
Blackstone's；　about　the　husband　being　of　years　of　discretion；　and
the　wife　under　twelve。　Abominable　wretch！　the　wife　under　twelve！
Skip　to　the　third　incapacity；　if　there　is　one。〃

〃　'The　third　incapacity；'　〃　Allan　went　on；　〃　'is　want　of　reason。'
〃

Neelie　immediately　made　a　third　entry　on　the　side　of　〃Good〃：
〃Allan　and　I　are　both　perfectly　reasonable。　Skip　to　the　next
page。〃

Allan　skipped。　〃　'A　fourth　incapacity　is　in　respect　of　proximity
of　relationship。'　〃

A　fourth　entry　followed　instantly　on　the　cheering　side　of　the
pocket…book：　〃He　loves　me；　and　I　love　himwithout　our　being　in
the　slightest　degree　related　to　each　other。　Any　more？〃　asked
Neelie；　tapping　her　chin　impatiently　with　the　end　of　the　pencil。

〃Plenty　more；〃　rejoined　Allan；　〃all　in　hieroglyphics。　Look　here：
'Marriage　Acts；　4　Geo。　IV。；　c。　76；　and　6　and　7　Will。　IV。；　c。　85
（_q_）。'　Blackstone's　intellect　seems　to　be　wandering　here。　Shall
we　take　another　skip；　and　see　if　he　picks　himself　up　again　on　the
next　page？〃

〃Wait　a　little；〃　said　Neelie；　〃what's　that　I　see　in　the　middle？〃
She　read　for　a　minute　in　silence；　over　Allan's　shoulder；　and
suddenly　clasped　her　hands　in　despair。　〃I　knew　I　was　right！〃　she
exclaimed。　〃Oh；　heavens；　here　it　is！〃

〃Where？〃　asked　Allan。　〃I　see　nothing　about　languishing　in　prison；
and　cropping　a　fellow's　hair　close　to　his　head；　unless　it's　in
the　hieroglyphics。　Is　'4　Geo。　IV。'　short　for　'Lock　him　up'？　and
does　'c。　85　（_q_）'　mean；　'Send　for　the　hair…cutter'？〃

〃Pray　be　serious；〃　remonstrated　Neelie。　〃We　are　both　sitting　on　a
volcano。　There；〃　she　said　pointing　to　the　place。　〃Read　it！　If
anything　can　bring　you　to　a　proper　sense　of　our　situation；　_that_
will。〃

Allan　cleared　his　throat；　and　Neelie　held　the　point　of　her　pencil
ready　on　the　depressing　side　of　the　accountotherwise　the　〃Bad〃
page　of　the　pocket…book。

〃　'And　as　it　is　the　policy　of　our　law；'　〃　Allan　began；　〃　'to
prevent　the　marriage　of　persons　under　the　age　of　twenty…one；
without　the　co　nsent　of　parents　and　guardians'　〃（Neelie　made
her　first　entry　on　the　side　of　〃Bad！〃　〃I'm　only　seventeen　next
birthday；　and　circumstances　forbid　me　to　confide　my　attachment　to
papa〃）〃　'it　is　provided　that　in　the　case　of　the　publication　of
banns　of　a　person　under　twenty…one；　not　being　a　widower　or　widow；
who　are　deemed　emancipated'　〃（Neelie　made　another　entry　on　the
depressing　side：　〃Allan　is　not　a　widower；　and　I　am　not　a　widow；
consequently；　we　are　neither　of　us　emancipated〃）〃　'if　the
parent　or　guardian　openly　signifies　his　dissent　at　the　time　the
banns　are　published'　〃（〃which　papa　would　be　certain　to　do〃）〃
'such　publication　would　be　void。'　I'll　take　breath　here　if　you'll
allow　me；〃　said　Allan。　〃Blackstone　might　put　it　in　shorter
sentences；　I　think；　if　he　can't　put　it　in　fewer　words。　Cheer　up；
Neelie！　there　must　be　other　ways　of　marrying；　besides　this
roundabout　way；　that　ends　in　a　Publication　and　a　Void。　Infernal
gibberish！　I　could　write　better　English　myself。〃

〃We　are　not　at　the　end　of　it　yet；〃　said　Neelie。　〃The　Void　is
nothing　to　what　is　to　come。〃

〃Whatever　it　is；〃　rejoined　Allan；　〃we'll　treat　it　like　a　dose　of
physicwe'll　take　it　at　once；　and　be　done　with　it。〃　He　went　on
reading：　〃　'And　no　license　to　marry　without　banns　shall　be
granted；　unless　oath　shall　be　first　made　by　one　of　the　parties
that　he　or　she　believes　that　there　is　no　impediment　of　kindred　or
alliance'well；　I　can　take　my　oath　of　that　with　a　safe
conscience！　What　next？　'And　one　of　the　said　parties　must；　for　the
space　of　fifteen　days　immediately　preceding　such　license；　have
had　his　or　her　usual　place　of　abode　within　the　parish　or　chapelry
within　which　such　marriage　is　to　be　solemnized！'　Chapelry！　I'd
live　fifteen　days　in　a　dog…kennel　with　the　greatest　pleasure。　I
say；　Neelie；　all　this　seems　like　plain　sailing　enough。　What　are
you　shaking　your　head　about？　Go　on；　and　I　shall　see？　Oh；　all
right；　I'll　go　on。　Here　we　are：　'And　where　one　of　the　said
parties；　not　being　a　widower　or　widow；　shall　be　under　the　age　of
twenty…one　years；　oath　must　first　be　made　that　the　consent　of　the
person　or　persons　whose　consent　is　required　has　been　obtained；　or
that　there　is　no　person　having　authority　to　give　such　consent。
The　consent　required　by　this　act　is　that　of　the　father'　〃　At
those　last　formidable　words　Allan　came　to　a　full　stop。　〃The
consent　of　the　father；〃　he　repeated；　with　all　needful　seriousness
of　look　and　manner。　〃I　couldn't　exactly　swear　to　that；　could　I？〃

Neelie　answered　in　expressive　silence。　She　handed　him　the
pocket…book；　with　the　final　entry　completed；　on　the　side　of
〃Bad；〃　in　these　terms：　〃Our　marriage　is　impossible；　unless　Allan
commits　perjury。〃

The　lovers　looked　at　each　other；　across　the　insuperable　obstacle
of　Blackstone；　in　speechless　dismay。

〃Shut　up　the　book；〃　said　Neelie；　resignedly。　〃I　have　no　doubt　we
should　find　the　police；　and　the　prison；　and　the　hair…cuttingall
punishments　for　perjury；　exactly　as　I　told　you！if　we　looked　at
the　next　page。　But　we　needn't　trouble　ourselves　to　look；　we　have
found　out　quite　enough　already。　It's　all　over　with　us。　I　must　go
to　school　on　Saturday；　and　you　must　manage　to　forget　me　as　soon
as　you　can。　Perhaps　we　may　meet　in　after…life；　and　you　may　be　a
widower　and　I　may　be　a　widow；　and　the　cruel　law　may　consider　us
emancipated；　when　it's　too　late　to　be　of　the　slightest　use。　By
that　time；　no　doubt；　I　shall　be　old　and　ugly；　and　you　will
naturally　have　ceased　to　care　about　me；　and　it　will　all　end　in
the　grave；　and　the　sooner　the　better。　Good…by；〃　concluded　Neelie；
rising　mournfully；　with　the　tears　in　her　eyes。　〃It's　only
prolonging　our　misery　to　stop　here；　unlessunless　you　have
anything　to　propose？〃

〃I've　got　something　to　propose；〃　cried　the　headlong　Allan。　〃It's
an　entirely　new　idea。　Would　you　mind　trying　the　blacksmith　at
Gretna　Green？〃

〃No　earthly　consideration；〃　answered　Neelie；　indignantly；　〃would
induce　me　to　be　married　by　a　blacksmith！〃

〃Don't　be　offended；〃　pleaded　Allan；　〃I　meant　it　for　the　best。
Lots　of　people　in　our　situation　have　tried　the　blacksmith；　and
found　him　quite　as　good　as　a　clergyman；　and　a　most　amiable　man；　I
believe；　into　the　bargain。　Never　mind！　We　must　try　another　string
to　our　bow。〃

〃We　haven't　got　another　to　try；〃　said　Neelie。

〃Take　my　word　for　it；〃　persisted　Allan；　stoutly；　〃there　must　be
ways　and　means　of　circumventing　Blackstone　（without　perjury）；　if
we　only　knew　of　them。　It's　a　matter　of　law；　and　we　must　consult
somebody　in　the　profession。　I　dare　say　it's　a　risk。　But　nothing
venture；　nothing　have。　What　do　you　say　to　young　Pedgift？　He's　a
thorough　good　fellow。　I'm　sure　we　could　trust　young　Pedgift　to
keep　our　secret。〃

〃Not　for　worlds！〃　exclaimed　Neelie。　〃You　may　be　willing　to　trust
your　secrets　to　the　vulgar　little　wretch；　I　won't　have　him
trusted　with　mine。　I　hate　him。　No！〃　she　concluded；　with　a
mounting　color　and　a　peremptory　stamp　of　her　foot　on　the　grass。
〃I　positively　forbid　you　to　take　any　of　the　Thorpe　Ambrose　people