"Well," he said to the lawyer, "now for your opinion! What is the law?"

"The law," answered Mr. Delamayn, "is beyond all doubt or dispute. Your
marriage with Miss Anne Silvester is no marriage at all."

Mr. Kendrew started to his feet.

"What do you mean?" he asked, sternly.

The rising solicitor lifted his eyebrows in polite surprise. If Mr.
Kendrew wanted information, why should Mr. Kendrew ask for it in that
way? "Do you wish me to go into the law of the case?" he inquired.

"I do."

Mr. Delamayn stated the law, as that law still stands--to the disgrace
of the English Legislature and the English Nation.

"By the Irish Statute of George the Second," he said, "every marriage
celebrated by a Popish priest between two Protestants, or between a
Papist and any person who has been a Protestant within twelve months
before the marriage, is declared null and void. And by two other Acts
of the same reign such a celebration of marriage is made a felony on
the part of the priest. The clergy in Ireland of other religious
denominations have been relieved from this law. But it still remains in
force so far as the Roman Catholic priesthood is concerned."

"Is such a state of things possible in the age we live in!" exclaimed
Mr. Kendrew.