"Oh! there's no time for that," said Raynal.

And as the baroness looked horrified and amazed, Picard explained: "The state marries its citizens now, with reason: since marriage is a civil contract." "Marriage a civil contract!" repeated the baroness.

"What, is it then no longer one of the holy sacraments?
What horrible impiety shall we come to next?
Unhappy France! Such a contract would never be a marriage in my eyes: and what would become of an union the Church had not blessed ?" "Madame," said Picard, "the Church can bless it still; but it is only the mayor here that can DO it." All this time Josephine was blushing scarlet, and looking this way and that, with a sort of instinctive desire to fly and hide, no matter where, for a week or so.
"Haw! haw! haw!" roared Raynal; "here is a pretty mother.

Wants her daughter to be unlawfully married in a church, instead of lawfully in a house.

Give me the will!" "Look here, mother-in-law: I have left Beaurepaire to my lawful wife." "Otherwise," put in Picard, "in case of death, it would pass to his heir-at-law." "And HE would turn you all out, and that does not suit me.