But in what degree could polygamy affect holiness of life?
It was probably a wise arrangement of Paul, who was much of a scholar,
and probably had frequent conferences, on this important subject, with
Luke, whom we all know to have been bred to the practice of medicine--"
There is no telling how far the discursive fancy of Sitgreaves might
have led him, on this subject, had he not been interrupted. But Lawton,
who had been a close though silent observer of all that passed, profited
by the hint to ask abruptly,--
"Pray, Colonel Wellmere, in what manner is bigamy punished in England?"
The bridegroom started, and his lip blanched. Recovering himself,
however, on the instant, he answered with a suavity that became so
happy a man,--
"Death!--as such an offense merits," he said.
"Death and dissection," continued the operator. "It is seldom that law
loses sight of eventual utility in a malefactor. Bigamy, in a man, is a
heinous offense!"
"More so than celibacy?" asked Lawton.
"More so," returned the surgeon, with undisturbed simplicity. "One who
remains in a single state may devote his life to science and the
extension of knowledge, if not of his species; but the wretch who
profits by the constitutional tendency of the female sex to credulity
and tenderness, incurs the wickedness of a positive sin, heightened by
the baseness of deception.
Pages:
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404