They had also so strongly resented the relinquishing of their own names for that of the men they married that few of them could be persuaded to marry at all. The men, however, insisted, and sought help from the state, and it was made an indictable offence for a woman to refuse to marry the man she loved if he offered her marriage. Even that did not answer, and the whole world was agitated; men became frantic whilst women stood by, pensive, longing, loving and lovable, but resolutely refusing to hear the voice of the charmer, charmed he never so wisely. Finally, the difficulty was to a certain extent overcome by the men owning that for the woman to sink her name in that of a husband on marriage really _did_ show a marked inferiority to him and was a gross libel on the universal belief that she was in every way the ‘better half.’ From this time matters improved, and on the passing of a special law entitling wives to retain their maiden names, a few of them here and there were induced to marry, mostly against their will, when a fresh difficulty arose which stopped all further marriages. The wives declared they were the better halves, and that married couples should be named “wife and husband”; their partners as firmly contending that as they were by nature constituted bread-winners the expression should be “husband and wife.” It often happens that when disputants are right, yet both at opposites, and neither will give way, the only bridge is a compromise; so in this case the difficulty was bridged by the husband saying “husband and wife,” whilst the wife referred to a married couple as “wife and husband.” This important matter settled, all went amicably, and the terms “Mrs.” and “Mr.” were dealt with in the same manner, though these have now fallen almost into disuse, whilst the mention of man—as a mere man—being the “lord and master of creation,” was attended with so much angry discussion as to have sunk into oblivion long ago. Formerly also, for ages, every newspaper and book was filled with stories of how poor, deluded, unwilling and powerless men were dragged by women to the altar, but for some time past the true statement of things has prevailed—as truth always will prevail eventually—and instead, it is painfully evident every day how deceitful men are, and how they get women so into their toils as to marry the men out of sheer goodness of heart, merely to put an end to their manly importunities. As our three heroes were ignorant of the joys of running in double harness, they were reckless of their lives, no one would have them, so what happened affected no one; they did not shrink, therefore, from risking themselves in the _Regina_, which had already absorbed all their affections. So one night, without any public warning, they entered the shed, fastened the door and slid aside the roof; boarding the vessel, they made all secure, and amidst great excitement, the switch was moved and in uncanny obedience the vessel slowly rose.