play such tricks? In the
bottom of his soul he thought that she had, but he would not admit it
to himself. The fact of the matter was that, half unknowingly, he was
trying to drug his conscience. He knew that in his longing to see her
dear face once more he had undertaken a dangerous thing. He was about to
walk with her over an abyss on a bridge which might bear them, or--might
break. So long as he walked there alone it would be well, but would it
bear them _both?_ Alas for the frailty of human nature, this was the
truth; but he would not and did not acknowledge it. He was not going
to make love to Beatrice, he was going to enjoy the pleasure of her
society. In friendship there could be no harm.

It is not difficult thus to still the qualms of an uneasy mind, more
especially when the thing in question at its worst is rather an offence
against local custom than against natural law. In many countries of the
world--in nearly all countries, indeed, at different epochs of their
history--it would have been no wrong that Geoffrey and Beatrice should
love each other, and human nature in strong temptation is very apt to
override artificial barriers erected to suit the convenience or promote
the prosperity of particular sections of mankind. But, as we have heard,
even though all things may be lawful, yet all things are not expedient.
To commit or even to condone an act because the principle that stamps it
as wrong will admit of argument on its merits is mere sophistry, by the
aid of which we might prove ourselves entitled to defy the majority
of laws of all calibres. Laws vary to suit the generations, but each
generation must obey its own, or confusion will ensue. A deed should
be judged by its fruits; it may even be innocent in itself, yet if its
fruits are evil the doer in a sense is guilty.

Thus in some countries to mention the name of your mother-in-law entails
the most unpleasant consequences on that intimate relation. Nobody can
say that to name the lady is a thing wicked in itself; yet the man who,
knowing the penalties which will ensue, allows himself, even in a fit of
passion against that relative, to violate the custom and mention her by
name is doubtless an offender. Thus, too, the result of an entanglement
between a woman and a man already married generally means unhappiness
and hurt to all concerned, more especially to the women, whose prospects
are perhaps irretrievably injured thereby. It is useless to point to