Consequently, a wife detected in such an attempt is at her husband's mercy; and if he consent to spare her life, she must submit to any infliction, however it may transgress the covenanted limit.

In fact, if he find her out in such an attempt, he may do anything but put her to death on his own authority." "Still," I answered, "as long as she remains in the house, she must have frequent opportunity of repeating her attempt at revenge; and to live in constant fear of assassination would break down the strongest nerves." "Our physicians," he said, "are more skilful in antidotes than our women in poisons, even when the latter have learned chemistry.

No poisonous plants are grown near our houses; and as wives never go out alone, they have little chance of getting hold of any fatal drug.

I believe that very few attempts to poison are successful, and that many women have suffered very severely on mere suspicion." "And what," I asked, "is the legal definition of 'grave bodily injury' ?" "Injury," he said, "of which serious traces remain at the end of twenty-four days; the destruction of a limb, or the deprivation, partial or total, of a sense.

I have often thought bitterly," he continued, "of that boasted logic and liberality of our laws under which my daughters might have to endure almost any maltreatment from their husbands, so long as these have but the sense not to employ weapons that leave almost ineffaceable marks.