"Because I am a frail and erring man, Delphine, and like to get my case. If my client is guilty,--as we will suppose, for the sake of argument, he is,--he will not be likely to stop his evil career merely because he has got off now, and will be caught and hanged next time, possibly. If he does stop sinning, why, so much the better to have time for repentance, you know." "Don't laugh,--now be serious." "I am. Once, I made up my mind as to my client's guilt from what he told and did not tell me, and went into court with a heavy heart. However, in the course of the trial, evidence, totally unexpected to all of us, was brought forward, and my client's innocence fully established. It was a good lesson to me. I learned by experience that the business of counsel is to defend or to prosecute, and not to judge. The judge and jury are stereoscopic and see the whole figure." How wise and nice it sounded! Any way, I wasn't a stereoscope, for I saw but one side,--the one "he" was on. Monday morning. And we were to be married in the evening,--by ourselves, --nobody else. That was all the stipulation my lover made. "I will be married morning, noon, or night, as you say, and dress and behave as you say; but not in a crowd of even three persons." "Not even Laura?" "Oh, yes! Laura." "Not even Polly?" "Oh, yes! the household." And then he said, softly, that, if I wanted to please him,--and he knew his darling Del did,--I would dress in a white gown of some sort, and put a tea-rose in my beautiful dark hair, and have nobody by but just the family and old Mr. Price, the Boynton minister. "I know that isn't what you thought of, exactly. You thought of being married in church"---- "Oh, dear, dear! old Mr. Price!"--but I did not speak. "But if you would be willing?"---- "I supposed it would be more convenient," I muttered. Visions of myself walking up the aisle, with a white silk on, tulle veil, orange-flowers, of course, (so becoming!) house crowded with friends, collation, walking under the trees,--all faded off with a mournful cry. It was of no use talking. Whatever he thought best, I should do, if it were to be married by the headsman, supposing there were such a person. This was all settled, then, and had been for a week. Nobody need say that lovers, or even married lovers, have but one mind. They have two minds always. And that is sometimes the best of it; since the perpetual sacrifices made to each other are made no sacrifices, but sweet triumphs, by their love. Still, just as much as green is composed of yellow and blue, and purple of red and blue, the rays can any time be separated, and they always have a conscious life of their own. Of course, I had a sort of pleasure even in giving up my marriage in church; but I kept my blue rays, for all that,--and told Laura I dreaded the long, long prayer in that evening's service, and that I hoped in mercy old Mr. Price would have his wits about him, and not preach a funeral discourse.