All this was sad to Mr.Smirkie, who regretted those past days in which, as he believed, the delinquent soul had been as manifestly subject to ecclesiastical interference as the delinquent body has always been to the civil law.
But with Julia, who was to be his wife, he could be more imperative.
She was taught to give thanks before the throne of grace because she had been spared the ignominy of being married to a man who could not have made her his wife, and had had an unstained clergyman of the Church of England given to her for her protection.

For with that candour which is so delightful, and so common in these days, everything had been told to Mr.Smirkie,--how her young heart had for a time turned itself towards her cousin, how she had been deceived, and then how rejoiced she was that by such deceit she had been reserved for her present more glorious fate.

'And won't Mr.Bromley speak to her ?' Julia asked.
'It is a very difficult question,--a very difficult question, indeed,' said Mr.Smirkie, shaking his head.

He was quite sure that were Folking in his parish he would perform the duty, though Mr.Caldigate and the unfortunate lady might be as a lion and a lioness in opposition to him; but he was also of opinion that sacerdotal differences of opinion should not be discussed among laymen,--should not be discussed by a clergyman even with the wife of his bosom.
At Babington opinion was somewhat divided.

Aunt Polly and Julia were of course certain that John Caldigate had married the woman in Australia.
But the two other girls and their father were not at all so sure.
Indeed, there had been a little misunderstanding among the Babingtons on the subject, which was perhaps strengthened by the fact that Mr.
Smirkie had more endeared himself to Julia's mother than to Julia's father or sisters, and that Mr.Smirkie himself was very clear as to the criminality of the bigamist.