Part 21 (2/2)
”That is true,” he rejoined, with evident relief.
”But I don't see what particular contract you are thinking of,” said the lawyer.
”The marriage contract,” Ideala answered, calmly.
This announcement created a sensation.
The lawyer laughed: the Bishop looked grave.
”Oh, but you cannot describe marriage in that way,” he declared, with emphasis.
”Humph!” the lawyer observed, meditatively. ”I am afraid I must beg to differ from your Lords.h.i.+p. Many women might describe their marriages in that way with perfect accuracy.”
”Marriages are made in heaven!” the Bishop e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, feebly.
”Let us hope that some are, dear Bishop.” Claudia sweetly observed, and all the married people in the room looked ”Amen” at her.
”I think an ideal of marriage should be fixed by law, and lectures given in all the colleges to teach it,” Ideala went on; ”and a standard of excellence ought to be set up for people to attain to before they could be allowed to marry. They should be obliged to pa.s.s examinations on the subject, and fit themselves for the perfect state by a perfect life. It should be made a reward for merit, and a goal towards which goodness only could carry us. Then marriages might seem to have been made in heaven, and the blessing of G.o.d would sanctify a happy union, instead of being impiously p.r.o.nounced in order to ratify a business transaction, or sanction the indulgence of a pa.s.sing fancy. But only the love that lasts can sanctify marriage, and a marriage without such love is an immoral contract.”
”Marriage an immoral contract!” the Bishop exclaimed. ”O dear! O dear!
This is not right, you know; this is not at all right. I must make a note of this--I really must. You are in the habit of saying things of this sort, my dear. I remember you said something like it once before; and really it is not a subject to joke about. Such an idea is quite pernicious; it must not be allowed to spread--even as a joke. I wish, my dear, you had not promulgated it, even in that spirit. You have--ah --a knack of making things seem plausible, and of giving weight to opinions by the way you express them, although the opinions themselves are quite erroneous, as on the present occasion. Some of your ideas are so very mistaken, you know; and you really ought to leave these matters to those who understand them, and can judge. It is very dangerous to discuss such subjects, especially--ah--when you know nothing about them, and--ah--cannot judge. I really must preach a sermon on the subject. Let me see. Next Sunday--ah, yes; next Sunday, if you will kindly come and hear me.”
We all thanked him as enthusiastically as we could.
Later, I found Ideala alone in one of the conservatories. She took my arm affectionately, and we walked up and down for a time in silence.
She was smiling and happy; so happy, indeed, that I found it hard to say anything to disturb her. For a moment I felt almost as she did about the step she proposed to take. There had been little joy in her life, and she had borne her cross long and bravely; what wonder that she should rebel at last, and claim her reward?
”Do you remember how you used to talk about the women of the nineteenth century, Ideala,” I said at last, ”and describe the power for good which they never use, and rail at them as artificial, milliner-made, man-hunting, self-indulgent _animals?_”
”I know,” she answered; ”and now you would say I am worse than any of them? I used to have big ideas about woman and her mission; but I always looked at the question broadly, as it affects the whole world; now my vision is narrowed, and I see it only with regard to one individual. But I am sure that is the right way to look at it. I think every woman will have to answer for one man's soul, and it seems to me that the n.o.blest thing a woman can do is to devote her life to that soul first of all--to raise it if it be low, to help it to peace if peace be lacking, and to gather all the suns.h.i.+ne there is in the world for it; and, after that, if her opportunities and powers allow her to help others also, she should do what she can for them. I do not know all the places which it is legitimate for women to fill in the world, but it seems to me that they are many and various, and that the great object in life for a woman is to help. To be a Pericles I see that a man must have an Aspasia. Was Aspasia vile? some said so--yet she did a n.o.bler work, and was finer in her fall, if she fell, than many good women in all the glory of uprightness are. And was she impure? then it is strange that her mind was not corrupting in its influence. And was she low? then whence came her power to raise others? It seems to me that it only rests with ourselves to make any position in life, which circ.u.mstances render it expedient for us to occupy, desirable.”
”And you propose to be an Aspasia to this modern Pericles?”
”If you like to put it so. The cases are not dissimilar, as there was an obstacle in the way of their marriage also.”
”The law was the obstacle.”
”Yes; another of those laws which are more honoured in the breach than in the observance. They might not marry because she came from Miletus!
and Lorrimer may not marry me because I came out of the house of bondage. Unwise laws make immoral nations.”
”But you have gone about this business in such an extraordinary way, Ideala,” I said. ”You seem to have tried to make it appear as bad for yourself as you can. Why did you not leave your husband when Lorrimer advised you to?”
”If I had gone then I should have been obliged to live somewhere else-- a long way from Lorrimer; and I might never have seen him again.”
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