Oh! if only it could be brought about.
But the dark eyes never changed, nor did a muscle move upon that pale, commanding countenance.
"Morris marry Mary," he repeated, dwelling on the alliterative words as though to convince himself that he had heard them aright.

"That is a very strange proposition, my dear John, and sudden, too.

Why, they are first cousins, and for that reason, I suppose, the thing never occurred to me--till last night," he added to himself.
"Yes, I know, Colonel; but I am not certain that this first cousin business isn't a bit exaggerated.

The returns of the asylums seem to show it, and I know my doctor, Sir Henry Andrews, says it's nonsense.
You'll admit that he is an authority.

Also, it happened in my own family, my father and mother were cousins, and we are none the worse." On another occasion the Colonel might have been inclined to comment on this statement--of course, most politely.