登陆注册
5229500000129

第129章 The Lawyer's Apology.(2)

"but after the Divorce--" My friend stopped me there. "After the Divorce," he remarked, "I may be her brother-in-law again."

If this meant anything, it meant that she was actually going to marry Herbert Linley again. This was too ridiculous. "If it's a joke," I said, "I have heard better fun in my time. If it's only an assertion, I don't believe it."

"Why not?" Randal asked.

"Saying I do want you, in one breath--and I don't want you, in another--seems to be a little hard on Divorce," I ventured to suggest.

"Don't expect _me_ to sympathize with Divorce," Randal said.

I answered that smartly. "No; I'll wait till you are married."

He took it seriously. "Don't misunderstand me," he replied.

"Where there is absolute cruelty, or where there is deliberate desertion, on the husband's part, I see the use and the reason for Divorce. If the unhappy wife can find an honorable man who will protect her, or an honorable man who will offer her a home, Society and Law, which are responsible for the institution of marriage, are bound to allow a woman outraged under the shelter of their institution to marry again. But, where the husband's fault is sexual frailty, I say the English law which refuses Divorce on that ground alone is right, and the Scotch law which grants it is wrong. Religion, which rightly condemns the sin, pardons it on the condition of true penitence. Why is a wife not to pardon it for the same reason? Why are the lives of a father, a mother, and a child to be wrecked, when those lives may be saved by the exercise of the first of Christian virtues--forgiveness of injuries? In such a case as this I regret that Divorce exists; and I rejoice when husband and wife and child are one flesh again, re-united by the law of Nature, which is the law of God."

I might have disputed with him; but I thought he was right. I also wanted to make sure of the facts. "Am I really to understand," I asked, "that Mr. Herbert Linley is to be this lady's husband for the second time?"

"If there is no lawful objection to it," Randal said-- "decidedly Yes."

My good wife, in all your experience you never saw your husband stare as he stared at that moment. Here was a lady divorced by her own lawful desire and at her own personal expense, thinking better of it after no very long interval, and proposing to marry the man again. Was there ever anything so grossly improbable?

Where is the novelist who would be bold enough to invent such an incident as this?

Never mind the novelist. How did it end?

Of course it could only end in one way, so far as I was concerned. The case being without precedent in my experience, I dropped my professional character at the outset. Speaking next as a friend, I had only to say to Mrs. Norman: "The Law has declared you and Mr. Herbert Linley to be single people. Do what other single people do. Buy a license, and give notice at a church--and by all means send wedding cards to the judge who divorced you."

Said; and, in another fortnight, done. Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Linley were married again this morning; and Randal and I were the only witnesses present at the ceremony, which was strictly private.

同类推荐
  • Over the Sliprails

    Over the Sliprails

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 陔余丛考

    陔余丛考

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 如实论反质难品

    如实论反质难品

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Golden Fleece

    The Golden Fleece

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • PHYSICS

    PHYSICS

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 黑曜馆事件

    黑曜馆事件

    一座不祥的黑暗之屋,一篇名为《密室里的白雪公主》的暗黑童话,跨越二十年的谋杀案,埋藏着怎样的秘密?在涂满红色油漆的密室展开的杀戮,宛如一场隆重的黑色弥撒。所有人深陷迷雾,只有他看破真相!当时间湮灭一切证据,唯逻辑乃推理之王道!天才数学家陈爝初登场,将逻辑推演发挥到极致!
  • 重返一九八八

    重返一九八八

    一次意外,回到了八十年代,这个不是最好的时代,也不是最坏的时代,简宁开始了她新的人生。恶人还未受到惩罚,上有老母待养,下有妹妹们需要照顾,她还有目标尚未实现,怎么看前方都是一条艰难的路。但生活,不就是被扼住了喉咙也要笑着活下去吗?她硬是要走出个锦绣灿烂的人生,只是半路上出了岔子,招惹了不该惹的人,某男人将她前面的路给堵得死死的,并说出了一句丧尽天良的话,“只要你领证,一切都好说。”简宁:果然人生没有过不去的坎,只有过不完的坎,这次真的扎心了。
  • 诡案罪2

    诡案罪2

    “我”从警校毕业后,通过公务员考试,进入公安系统工作。我的理想是当一名刑警,可是领导却把我安排到档案科坐班。为了工作的需要,我开始翻看档案架上那一卷卷落满灰尘的档案。随着阅读的深入,我发现许多案件的侦破档案,读来惊险曲折,充满悬念,其精彩程度,绝不亚于一部绝妙的侦探推理小说,如“青阳小学命案”“‘长江小姐’选手被害案”“微博私奔命案”等,读来既使人警醒,又引人深思。现以小说的形式辑录于此,希望能让更多的人受益。
  • 国王最后的悲悯

    国王最后的悲悯

    常胜国:陕西绥德人,生于1963年。陕西省作家协会签约作家。著有作品集《以生的名义》,长篇小说《三十里铺》,中篇小说《恐慌年》《藏枪记》《我的前世今生》《民歌》,短篇小说《沿着脚手架上升》《第三名》《学生马锁》《不知谁家的女子》《唢呐父子》《女人老马》等。“我感觉自己正在无可挽回地跌向深渊。”他对自己说:“但是在我彻底绝望的时候,至少你要让我知道,这是为什么?”
  • 到祁连山去

    到祁连山去

    夏天来临时,我便着手准备去“三大革命斗争第一线”。先到刘家峡水电站工地,顺便去了炳灵寺石窟。不久,我带了一大堆东西上了火车,从各种画具到许多西红柿。一觉醒来,火车正沉重地喘着粗气,窗外是天祝藏族自治县境内的乌鞘岭草坡。远处是马牙雪山裸露的岩石,这是我非常熟悉的地方。同车张掖文工团的同志听说我一个人要去祁连山,认真地劝我改变主意。原先约定的一位张掖画家,孩子在水库工地劳动时烧伤致死,他不能和我同去。我不想放弃盼望已久的祁连山之旅,哪怕是一次冒险。在无人陪伴的情况下,我只能一个人前往。
  • 小八义

    小八义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 惠特曼诗选(孙更俊译丛)

    惠特曼诗选(孙更俊译丛)

    惠特曼(1819—1892),美国诗人。惠特曼的诗歌含蓄却有十分丰富的音乐性,“往往通篇像演说辞、意大利歌剧和汹涌的大海”。他的《草叶集》是19世纪中期美国时代精神的真实写照,标志着美国浪漫主义文学的高峰。《惠特曼诗选》节选《草叶集》中的优秀篇目,以短诗为主,兼顾长诗。
  • 隐婚蜜爱:首席老公放肆宠

    隐婚蜜爱:首席老公放肆宠

    为了利益,乔景熙被家人许配给一个秃顶猥琐的老男人谁料订婚当晚,她发现对方压根不是什么老男人,而是无数名门淑女趋之若鹜的国民男神——陆霆深!他是娱乐帝王,掌控娱乐圈半壁江山的生死,遇见乔景熙后,却化身宠妻狂魔。助理:总裁,总裁夫人演的女二号,被撤换了。陆霆深:追加投资五千万,女二号非她莫属!助理:总裁,少夫人今天和剧中男主角有吻戏。陆霆深:告诉导演,我要当男主角的替身!助理:总裁,媒体爆料,少夫人被一个五十多岁老男人包养了。
  • 不懂财务就当不好商品流通企业经理

    不懂财务就当不好商品流通企业经理

    不论何种行业,优秀的经理人必定是一位财务高手!教你轻松驾御酒 店餐饮企业必备的财务方法与技巧通过本书的阅读,你将学到:全面掌握 三大财务报表,读懂财务报告;非财务人员与财务部门在统一的平台上达 成有效沟通;建立起清晰的成本控制意识与内部控制方法;强化财务管理 意识,提高企业运作效率;学会使用预算等财务工具加强内部管理;运用 财务思维视角运作企业,找到提升运营绩效的方法。
  • 武绝天下

    武绝天下

    无尽大陆,全民皆武,武武相争,强者为尊。他,却要凭一己之力,打碎天穹,挣脱枷锁,修得武道通天,成强中最强,做人上人!大丈夫存于世,自当喝那最醇的美酒,拥那最美的女人!