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on the watch for Allan and Neeliereached her customary post of
observation in the park； by the usual roundabout way。
She was a little surprised to find Neelie alone at the place of
meeting。 She was more seriously astonished； when the tardy Allan
made his appearance ten minutes later； to see him mounting the
side of the dell； with a large volume under his arm； and to hear
him say； as an apology for being late； that 〃he had muddled away
his time in hunting for the Books； and that he had only found
one； after all； which seemed in the least likely to repay either
Neelie or himself for the trouble of looking into it。〃
If Miss Gwilt had waited long enough in the park； on the previous
Saturday； to hear the lovers' parting words on that occasion； she
would have been at no loss to explain the mystery of the volume
under Allan's arm； and she would have understood the apology
which he now offered for being late as readily as Neelie herself。
There is a certain exceptional occasion in lifethe occasion of
marriageon which even girls in their teens sometimes become
capable （more or less hysterically） of looking at consequences。
At the farewell moment of the interview on Saturday； Neelie's
mind had suddenly precipitated itself into the future； and she
had utterly confounded Allan by inquiring whether the
contemplated elopement was an offense punishable by the Law？ Her
memory satisfied her that she had certainly read somewhere； at
some former period； in some book or other （possibly a novel）； of
an elopement with a dreadful endof a bride dragged home in
hystericsand of a bridegroom sentenced to languish in prison；
with all his beautiful hair cut off； by Act of Parliament； close
to his head。 Supposing she could bring herself to consent to the
elopement at allwhich she positively declined to promiseshe
must first insist on discovering whether there was any fear of
the police being concerned in her marriage as well as the parson
and the clerk。 Allan； being a man； ought to know； and to Allan
she looked for informationwith
this preliminary assurance to assist him in laying down the law；
that she would die of a broken heart a thousand times over；
rather than be the innocent means of sending him to languish in
prison； and of cutting his hair off； by Act of Parliament； close
to his head。 〃It's no laughing matter；〃 said Neelie； resolutely；
in conclusion； 〃I decline even to think of our marriage till my
mind is made easy first on the subject of the Law。〃
〃But I don't know anything about the law； not even as much as you
do；〃 said Allan。 〃Hang the law！ I don't mind my head being
cropped。 Let's risk it。〃
〃Risk it？〃 repeated Neelie； indignantly。 〃Have you no
consideration for me？ I won't risk it！ Where there's a will；
there's a way。 We must find out the law for ourselves。〃
〃With all my heart；〃 said Allan。 〃How？〃
〃Out of books； to be sure！ There must be quantities of
information in that enormous library of yours at the great house。
If you really love me； you won't mind going over the backs of a
few thousand books； for my sake！〃
〃I'll go over the backs of ten thousand！〃 cried Allan； warmly。
〃Would you mind telling me what I'm to look for？〃
〃For 'Law；' to be sure！ When it says 'Law' on the back； open it；
and look inside for Marriageread every word of itand then
come here and explain it to me。 What！ you don't think your head
is to be trusted to do such a simple thing as that？〃
〃I'm certain it isn't； 〃 said Allan。 〃Can't you help me？〃
〃Of course I can； if you can't manage without me！ Law may be
hard； but it can't be harder than music； and I must； and will；
satisfy my mind。 Bring me all the books you can find； on Monday
morningin a wheelbarrow； if there are a good many of them； and
if you can't manage it in any other way。〃
The result of this conversation was Allan's appearance in the
park； with a volume of Blackstone's Commentaries under his arm；
on the fatal Monday morning； when Miss Gwilt's written engagement
of marriage was placed in Midwinter's hands。 Here again； in this；
as in all other human instances； the widely discordant elements
of the grotesque and the terrible were forced together by that
subtle law of contrast which is one of the laws of mortal life。
Amid all the thickening complications now impending over their
headswith the shadow of meditated murder stealing toward one of
them already from the lurking…place that hid Miss Gwiltthe two
sat down； unconscious of the future； with the book between them；
and applied themselves to the study of the law of marriage； with
a grave resolution to understand it； which； in two such students；
was nothing less than a burlesque in itself！
〃Find the place；〃 said Neelie； as soon as they were comfortably
established。 〃We must manage this by what they call a division of
labor。 You shall read； and I'll take notes。〃
She produced forthwith a smart little pocket…book and pencil； and
opened the book in the middle； where there was a blank page on
the right hand and the left。 At the top of the right…hand page
she wrote the word _Good。_ At the top of the left…hand page she
wrote the word _Bad。_ 〃 'Good' means where the law is on our
side；〃 she explained； 〃and 'Bad' means where the law is against
us。 We will have 'Good' and 'Bad' opposite each other； all down
the two pages； and when we get to the bottom； we'll add them up；
and act accordingly。 They say girls have no heads for business。
Haven't they！ Don't look at melook at Blackstone； and begin。〃
〃Would you mind giving one a kiss first？〃 asked Allan。
〃I should mind it very much。 In our serious situation； when we
have both got to exert our intellects； I wonder you can ask for
such a thing！〃
〃That's why I asked for it；〃 said the unblushing Allan。 〃I feel
as if it would clear my head。〃
〃Oh； if it would clear your head； that's quite another thing！ I
must clear your head； of course； at any sacrifice。 Only one；
mind；〃 she whispered； coquettishly； 〃and pray be careful of
Blackstone； or you'll lose the place。〃
There was a pause in the conversation。 Blackstone and the
pocket…book both rolled on the ground together。
〃If this happens again；〃 said Neelie； picking up the pocket…book；
with her eyes and her complexion at their brightest and best； 〃I
shall sit with my back to you for the rest of the morning。 _Will_
you go on？〃
Allan found his place for the second time； and fell headlong into
the bottomless abyss of the English Law。
〃Page 280；〃 he began。 〃Law of husband and wife。 Here's a bit I
don't understand； to begin with： 'It may be observed generally
that the law considers marriage in the light of a Contract。' What
does that mean？ I thought a contract was the sort of a thing a
builder signs when he promises to have the workmen out of the
house in a given time； and when the time comes （as my poor mother
used to say） the workmen never go。〃
〃Is there nothing about Love？〃 asked Neelie。 〃Look a little lower
down。〃
〃Not a word。 He sticks to his confounded 'Contract' all the way
through。〃
〃Then he's a brute！ Go on to something else that's more in our
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 i