counsel could I or any man give to her but to make the best of what had
happened, and live with her husband? But then she started another
question. It seems that she had been talking with some one, I think her
landlady, or some other woman with whom she had made acquaintance--was
she legally married to this man? Had he not entrapped her ignorance into
a false marriage? This became a grave question, and I sent at once to my
lawyer. On hearing the circumstances, he at once declared that the
marriage was not legal according to the laws of France. But, doubtless,
her English soi-disant husband was not cognisant of the French law, and a
legal marriage could, with his assent, be at once solemnised. Monsieur
Vane, I cannot find words to convey to you the joy that poor girl showed
in her face and in her words when she learned that she was not bound to
pass her life with that man as his wife. It was in vain to talk and
reason with her. Then arose the other question, scarcely less important.
True, the marriage was not legal, but would it not be better on all
accounts to take steps to have it formally annulled, thus freeing her
from the harassment of any claim the Englishman might advance, and
enabling her to establish the facts in a right position, not injurious to
her honour in the eyes of any future suitor to her hand? She would not
hear of such a proposal. She declared that she could not bring to the
family she pined to re-enter the scandal of disgrace. To allow that she
had made such a _misalliance_ would be bad enough in itself; but to
proclaim to the world that, though nominally the wife, she had in fact
been only the mistress of this medical student--she would rather throw
herself into the Seine. All she desired was to fund some refuge, some
hiding-place for a time, whence she could write to the man informing him
that he had no lawful hold on her. Doubtless he would not seek then to
molest her. He would return to his own country, and be effaced from her
life. And then, her story unknown, she might form a more suitable
alliance. Fiery young creature though she was--true De Mauleon in being