"The ordinary love of husband and wife." "And how, then, can ordinary love consecrate marriage ?" continued the nervous gentleman, still excited, and with a displeased air.

He seemed to wish to say something disagreeable to the lady.

She felt it, and began to grow agitated.
"How?
Why, very simply," said she.
The nervous gentleman seized the word as it left her lips.
"No, not simply." "Madam says," interceded the lawyer indicating his companion, "that marriage should be first the result of an attachment, of a love, if you will, and that, when love exists, and in that case only, marriage represents something sacred.

But every marriage which is not based on a natural attachment, on love, has in it nothing that is morally obligatory.

Is not that the idea that you intended to convey ?" he asked the lady.
The lady, with a nod of her head, expressed her approval of this translation of her thoughts.
"Then," resumed the lawyer, continuing his remarks.
But the nervous gentleman, evidently scarcely able to contain himself, without allowing the lawyer to finish, asked: "Yes, sir.