in, in this, as in all other human instances,
the widely discordant elements of the grotesque and the terrible were
forced together by that subtle law of contrast which is one of the laws
of mortal life. Amid all the thickening complications now impending over
their heads--with the shadow of meditated murder stealing toward one
of them already from the lurking-place that hid Miss Gwilt--the two sat
down, unconscious of the future, with the book between them; and applied
themselves to the study of the law of marriage, with a grave resolution
to understand it, which, in two such students, was nothing less than a
burlesque in itself!

"Find the place," said Neelie, as soon as they were comfortably
established. "We must manage this by what they call a division of labor.
You shall read, and I'll take notes."

She produced forthwith a smart little pocket-book and pencil, and opened
the book in the middle, where there was a blank page on the right hand
and the left. At the top of the right-hand page she wrote the word
_Good_. At the top of the left-hand page she wrote the word _Bad_.
"'Good' means where the law is on our side," she explained; "and
'Bad' means where the law is against us. We will have 'Good' and 'Bad'
opposite each other, all down the two pages; and when we get to the
bottom, we'll add them up, and act accordingly. They say girls have no
heads for business. Haven't they! Don't look at me--look at Blackstone,
and begin."

"Would you mind giving one a kiss first?" asked Allan.

"I should mind it very much. In our serious situation, when we have both
got to exert our intellects, I wonder you can ask for such a thing!"

"That's why I asked for it," said the unblushing Allan. "I feel as if it
would clear my head."

"Oh, if it would clear your head, that's quite another thing! I must
clear your head, of course, at any sacrifice. Only one, mind," she
whispered, coquettishly; "and pray be careful of Blackstone, or you'll
lose the place."

There was a pause in the conversation. Blackstone and the pocket-book
both rolled on the ground together.

"If this happens again," said Neelie, picking up the pocket-book, with
her eyes and her complexion at their brightest and best, "I shall sit
with my back to you for the rest of the morning. _Will_ you go on?"

Allan found his place for the second time, and fell headlong into the
bottomless abyss of the English Law.

"Page 280," he began. "Law of husband and wife. He