sympathy of a jury
is, as a rule, with the woman."

Mr. Clavering rose, looked at me with some earnestness, and finally
asked, in a tone which, though somewhat changed, lacked nothing of its
former suavity, if I would be kind enough to give him in writing that
portion of my opinion which directly bore upon the legality of the
marriage; that such a paper would go far towards satisfying his friend
that his case had been properly presented; as he was aware that no
respectable lawyer would put his name to a legal opinion without first
having carefully arrived at his conclusions by a thorough examination of
the law bearing upon the facts submitted.

This request seeming so reasonable, I unhesitatingly complied with it,
and handed him the opinion. He took it, and, after reading it carefully
over, deliberately copied it into his memorandum-book. This done, he
turned towards me, a strong, though hitherto subdued, emotion showing
itself in his countenance.

"Now, sir," said he, rising upon me to the full height of his majestic
figure, "I have but one more request to make; and that is, that you will
receive back this opinion into your own possession, and in the day you
think to lead a beautiful woman to the altar, pause and ask yourself:
'Am I sure that the hand I clasp with such impassioned fervor is free?
Have I any certainty for knowing that it has not already been given
away, like that of the lady whom, in this opinion of mine, I have
declared to be a wedded wife according to the laws of my country? '"

"Mr. Clavering!"

But he, with an urbane bow, laid his hand upon the knob of the door. "I
thank you for your courtesy, Mr. Raymond, and I bid you good-day. I hope
you will have no need of consulting that paper before I see you again."
And with another bow, he passed out.

It was the most vital shock I had yet experienced; and for a moment
I stood paralyzed. Me! me! Why should he mix me up with the affair
unless--but I would not contemplate that possibility. Eleanore married,
and to this man? No, no; anything but that! And yet I found myself
continually turning the supposition over in my mind until, to escape
the torment of my own conjectures, I seized my hat, and rushed into
the street in the hope of finding him again and extorting from him an
explanation of his mysterious conduct. But by the time I reached the
sidewalk, he was nowhere to be seen. A thousand busy men, with their
various cares and purposes, had pushed t