armadale-第122节

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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