For the purposes of the ceremony I become Jean de Courtois.

By singular chance, the change of name is not such a wrench as it might be if I didn't happen to be called John D.Curtis." Still she hesitated.

Somehow, becoming Mrs.John D.Curtis impressed her as a far more serious undertaking than purchasing the right to pose as Madame de Courtois.
"We don't even know where to get married," she faltered.
"Given a license and a comparatively small sum of money, New York abounds with facilities." "Are you sure the ceremony will be legal if you appear under a false name ?" "Quite positive." "Can you be punished if it is found out ?" "I'll run the risk." After a fateful pause, which would have been considerably curtailed had Lady Hermione Grandison been vouchsafed the least premonition of events in which the night was still rich, she held out her hand.
"I can only thank you from the depths of my heart, Mr.Curtis," she said.

"I must trust someone, and I do trust you most implicitly." "You will never regret it, Lady Hermione," he said reverently.

He wondered whether or not this was an occasion on which hand-kissing was permissible, but contented himself with returning the friendly pressure of the girl's fingers--retaining them, in fact, for a second or two.
"I have your word of honor that you will regard the ceremony as a formal compact between us two ?" she murmured, unaccountably shy, and seemingly half-afraid that he meant to clasp her in his arms then and there.
"You have," he said, relinquishing her hand.