“For instance, he can marry?”
“That’s not a criminal case, you know.”
“And the marriage is valid?”
“You can dispute it.”
“Yes, and the Greeks and the Trojans can fight. It holds then?”
“Both water and fire!”
The patriarch of the table sang out to Adrian that he stopped the vigorous circulation of the claret.
“Dear me, sir!” said Adrian, “I beg pardon. The circumstances must excuse me. The fact is, my cousin Richard got married to a dairymaid this morning, and I wanted to know whether it held in law.”
It was amusing to watch the manly coolness with which the announcement was taken. Nothing was heard more energetic than, “Deuce he has!” and, “A dairymaid!”
“I thought it better to let the ladies dine in peace,” Adrian continued. “I wanted to be able to console my aunt”—