“Let me first of all make a formal announcement.  We have this morning been married by registrar’s licence.  We intend to live for a few weeks at this present address, where we have taken some furnished rooms until better arrangements can be made.  I lose no time in writing to you, for of course there is business between us that you will desire to transact as soon as may be.

“In obtaining the licence, I naturally gave false information regarding Cecily’s age; this was an inevitable consequence of the step we had taken.  You know my opinions on laws and customs:  for the multitude they are necessary, and an infraction of them by the average man is, logically enough, called a sin against society; for Cecily and myself, in relation to such a matter as our becoming man and wife, the law is idle form.  Personally, I could have wished to dispense with the absurdity altogether, but, as things are, this involves an injustice to a woman.  I told my falsehoods placidly, for they were meaningless in my eyes.  I have the satisfaction of knowing that you cannot, without inconsistency, find fault with me.

“And now I speak as one who would gladly be on terms of kindness with you.  You know me, Mallard; you must be aware how impossible it was for me to wait two years.  As for Cecily, her one word, again and again repeated on the journey, was, ’How unkind I shall seem to them!’ and I know that it was the seeming disrespect to you which most of all distressed her.  For her sake, I make it my petition that you will let the past be past.  She cannot yet write to you, but is sad in the thought of having incurred your displeasure.  Whatever you say to me, let it be said privately; do not hurt Cecily.  I mentioned ’business; the word and the thing are equally hateful to me.  I most sincerely wish Cecily had nothing, that the vile question of money might never arise.  Herein, at all events, you will do me justice; I am no fortune-hunter.

“If you come to London, send a line and appoint a place of meeting.  But could not everything be done through lawyers?  You must judge; but, again I ask it, do not give Cecily more pain.”

The listeners were smiling gravely.  After a silence, the letter was discussed, especially its second paragraph.  Mallard was informed of the note which Miriam had received.

“I shall go to-morrow,” he said, “and ‘transact my business.’  On the whole, it might as well be done through lawyers, but I had better be in London.”

“And then?” asked Eleanor.

“I shall perhaps go and spend a week with the people at Sowerby Bridge.  But you shall hear from me.”

“Will you speak to Mrs. Baske?”

“I don’t think it is necessary.  She has expressed no wish that I should?”

“No; but she might like to be assured that her brother won’t be prosecuted for perjury.”

“Oh, set her mind at ease!”

“Show Mallard the. letter from Mrs. Lessingham,” said Spence, with a twinkle of the eyes.