'She was,' I said, 'my wife, and I was entitled to claim her as such.' "This drew down a shower of most moral reproaches, and an assurance that Clara disowned and detested my alliance; and that where there had been an essential error in the person, the mere ceremony could never be accounted binding by the law of any Christian country.

I wonder this had not occurred to me; but my ideas of marriage were much founded on plays and novels, where such devices as I had practised are often resorted to for winding up the plot, without any hint of their illegality; besides, I had confided, as I mentioned before, a little too rashly perhaps, in my own powers of persuading so young a bride as Clara to be contented with one handsome fellow instead of another.
"Solmes took up the argument, when Francis released me by leaving the room.

He spoke of my father's resentment, should this enterprise reach his ears--of the revenge of Mowbray of St.Ronan's, whose nature was both haughty and rugged--of risk from the laws of the country, and God knows what bugbears besides, which, at a more advanced age, I would have laughed at.

In a word, I sealed the capitulation, vowed perpetual absence, and banished myself, as they say in this country, forth of Scotland.
"And here, Harry, observe and respect my genius.

Every circumstance was against me in this negotiation.