"Well, now, we have the thing all arranged for to-morrow; the carriages are to be here at ten; ceremony at eleven. The procession will form at the church door; first, Jim Fellows and Alice, then you and mamma, then papa and me, and when we meet at the altar be sure to mind where you step, and don't tread on my veil or any of my tulle clouds, because, though it may look like vapor, you can't very well set your foot through it; and be sure you have a well-disciplined glove that you can slip off without a fuss; and have the ring just where you can lay your hand on it. And now let's read over the service and responses and all that." We went through them creditably till Eva, putting her finger on one word, looked me straight in the eye. "_Obey_, Harry, isn't that a droll word between you and me? I can't conceive of it. Now up to this time you have always obeyed me." "And 'turn about, is fair play,' the proverb says," said I, "you see, Eva, since Adam took the apple from Eve men have obeyed women _nem. con._--there was no need of putting the 'obey' into their part. The only puzzle is how to constrain the subtle, imponderable, ethereal essence of womanhood under some law; so the _obey_ is our helpless attempt." "But now, really and truly, Harry, I want to talk seriously about this. The girls are so foolish! Jane Seymour said she said 'be gay' instead of 'obey'--and Maria Elmore said she didn't say it at all. But really and truly, that is God's altar--and it is a religious service, and if I go there at all, I must understand what I mean, and say it from my heart." "My dear, if you have any hesitancy you know that you can leave it out. In various modern wedding services it is often omitted. We could easily avoid it." "Oh nonsense, Harry! Marry out of the Church! What are you thinking of? Not I, indeed! I shouldn't think myself really married." "Well, then, my princess, it is your own affair. If you choose to promise to obey me, I can only be grateful for the honor; if it gives any power, it is of your giving, not my seeking." "But what does a woman promise when she promises at the altar to obey?" "Well, evidently, she promises to obey her husband in every case where he commands, and a higher duty to God does not forbid." "But does this mean that all through life in every case where there arises a difference of opinion or taste between a husband and wife she is to give up to him?" "If," said I, "she has been so unwise as to make this promise to a man without common sense or gentlemanly honor, who chooses to have his own will prevail in all cases of differences of taste, I don't see but she must." "But between people like you and me, Harry?" "Between people like you and me, darling, I can't see that the word can make any earthly difference. There can be no obeying where there never is any commanding, and as to commanding you I should as soon think of commanding the sun and moon."