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'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
into your confidence。 They would instantly suspect me； and it
would be all over the place in a moment。 My attachment may be an
unhappy one； 〃 remarked Neelie； with her handkerchief to her
eyes； 〃and papa may nip it in the bud； but I won't have it
profaned by the town gossip！〃
〃Hush！ hush！〃 said Allan。 〃I won't say a word at Thorpe Ambrose；
I won't indeed！〃 He paused； and considered for a moment。 〃There's
another way！〃 he burst out； brightening up on the instant。 〃We've
got the whole week before us。 I'll tell you what I'll do； I'll go
to London！〃
There was a sudden rustlingheard neither by one nor the
otheramong the trees behind them that screened Miss Gwilt。 One
more of the difficulties in her way （the difficulty of getting
Allan to London） now promised to be removed by an act of Allan's
own will。
〃To London？〃 repeated Neelie； looking up in astonishment。
〃To London！〃 reiterated Allan。 〃That's far enough away from
Thorpe Ambrose； surely？ Wait a minute； and don't forget that this
is a question of law。 Very well； I know some lawyers in London
who managed all my business for me when I first came in for this
property； they are just the men to consult。 And if they decline
to be mixed up in it； there's their head clerk； who is one of the
best fellows I ever met with in my life。 I asked him to go
yachting with me； I remember； and； though he couldn't go； he said
he felt the obligation all the same。 That's the man to help us。
Blackstone's a mere infant to him。 Don't say it's absurd； don't
say it's exactly like _me。_ Do pray hear me out。 I won't breathe
your name or your father's。 I'll describe you as 'a young lady to
whom I am devotedly attached。' And if my friend the clerk asks
where you live； I'll say the north of Scotland； or the west of
Ireland； or the Channel Islands； or anywhere else you like。 My
friend the clerk is a total stranger to Thorpe Ambrose and
everybody in it （which is one recommendation）； and in five
minutes' time he'd put me up to what to do （which is another）。 If
you only knew him！ He's one of those extraordinary men who appear
once or twice in a centurythe sort of man who won't allow you
to make a mistake if you try。 All I have got to say to him
（putting it short） is； 'My dear fellow； I want to be privately
married without perjury。' All he has got to say to me （putting it
short） is； 'You must do so…and…so and so…and…so； and you must be
careful to avoid this； that； and the other。' I have nothing in
the world to do but to follow his directions； and you have
nothing in the world to do but what the bride always does when
the bridegroom is ready and willing！〃 His arm stole round
Neelie's waist； and his lips pointed the moral of the last
sentence with that inarticulate eloquence which is so uniformly
successful in persuading a woman against her will。
All Neelie's meditated objections dwindled； in spite of her； to
one feeble little question。 〃Suppose I allow you to go； Allan？〃
she whispered； toying nervously with the stud in the bosom of his
shirt。