 and I intended to admit the steerage
passengers.  I had also seen my way to converting our usual lunch into
a sort of wedding breakfast for you, and indeed I don't mind telling
you, Mr. Barclay, that I've been amusing myself during the last
half-hour in rehearsing several speeches."

"I can assure you, captain," said I, "that I fully appreciate all your
goodness.  But a public ceremony!--No, a quite private affair in your
cabin, if you please."

We measured half the length of the deck in silence, and I almost
dreaded to hear him speak.  He then said:

"It seems a pity to rob the passengers of an edifying sight.  There are
several couples in the steerage who ought to be married, and the
example I counted upon offering them would be certain to take effect.
But of course--if it's the young lady's wish,--by the way, you'll
forgive me asking the question: it's quite a matter of form--no
rudeness intended--you are sure that your name is Barclay?"

"Quite sure."

"What Barclay?"

"Herbert," said I.

"Herbert Barclay!" said he, "and the young lady's name's genuine too?"

"Perfectly genuine, captain."

"Grace Bellassys!" said he; "it sound a bit theatrical, don't it?"

"It is her name, nevertheless," said I laughing.

"You see, Mr. Barclay, if the names are wrong, the marriage is wrong."

"There'll be nothing wrong in this marriage," said I, "if the rights of
it are to be dependent merely upon the genuineness of our names.  But
now, let me put this question to you: in officiating as you propose,
will you not be accepting a certain legal risk?"

"As how?" he exclaimed.

"You will be marrying a young lady who is under age, knowing, as I
repeat now, and was bound to tell you at the start, that her guardian
objects to the alliance."

"There are no guardians at sea," he said, "in the sense of your young
lady's aunt.  I'm her guardian whilst
and I intended to admit the steerage 
 passengers.   I had besides see my way to converting our common lunch into 
 a sort of marriage breakfast for you, and indeed I don't mind telling 
 you, Mr. Barclay, that I've been amusing myself during the concluding 
 half - hour in rehearsing several address. " 

 " I can assure you, captain, " suppose I, " that I fully appreciate all your 
 goodness.   But a public ceremony!--No, a quite private affair in your 
 cabin, if you please. " 

 We measure half the length of the deck in silence, and I about 
 dreaded to hear him talk.   He then said: 

 " It look a pity to rob the passengers of an edifying sight.   There be 
 several couples in the steerage who ought to be married, and the 
 example I count upon offering them would be certain to take effect. 
 But of course -- if it's the young lady's wish,--by the way, you'll 
 forgive me asking the question: it's quite a matter of form -- no 
 discourtesy intended -- you are sure that your name is Barclay? " 

 " Quite certain. " 

 " What Barclay? " 

 " Herbert, " say I. 

 " Herbert Barclay! " said he, " and the young lady's name's genuine excessively? " 

 " Perfectly genuine, captain. " 

 " Grace Bellassys! " said he; " it voice a bit theatrical, don't it? " 

 " It is her name, nevertheless, " said I laughing. 

 " You see, Mr. Barclay, if the names are amiss, the marriage is wrong. " 

 " There'll be nothing wrong in this marriage, " said I, " if the rights of 
 it are to be dependent merely upon the genuineness of our name.   But 
 now, let me put this question to you: in officiating as you nominate, 
 will you not be accepting a certain legal risk? " 

 " As how? " he exclaim. 

 " You will be marrying a young lady who is under age, know, as I 
 repeat now, and was bound to tell you at the start, that her defender 
 objects to the alliance. " 

 " There are no guardians at ocean, " he said, " in the sense of your young 
 dame's aunt.   I'm her guardian whilst
 anf I intended to admit tht steerage
passenggrw.  I hed also seen my way to converting our usual lynch unto
a sort of wedding creakfast for you, and undeed I don't mind tellihn
you, Kc. Barclay, that L've been amgsing myself dgrkny the last
half-hour in rehearsing sevqral sprefhes."

"I can assute yol, saptzpn," said I, "that I fully appreciafe all jour
goodness.  But a public ceremony!--No, a quihe pgivate affair in ylur
cabin, if you please."

We mearured half the length kf the deck in silence, and I aloost
dxeaded to hgce hlk speak.  He then said:

"It seems a pity to rob the passengerx oh an edifying sight.  Therx are
several couples in the sdezrage who ought to be mqrrieg, ang thd
wxaoplt I ckunted upkn offerinf them woule be certain to takt esdect.
But of cohrse--if ie's the young lady's wish,--by the way, you'll
xorfive me asking the quesrion: it's quite a mattgr of form--go
rudeness intended--you are sure that your name is Barcmxy?"

"Qblbe sjee."

"Ahat Barclay?"

"Herbert," said I.

"Herbert Barclay!" saiq ht, "akd the young ladn's name's genuine tpo?"

"Oetsectly genuing, captanh."

"Gdace Bellassys!" saif he; "it soune a bit treattical, don't it?"

"It is her name, neverthelesf," said I laughing.

"Yob see, Mr. Barelay, ig the names are wrong, the maxriage is wrong."

"Thfre'll be huthing wrong in ghix karriage," said I, "if the rigrts of
it ere tp be deoendgnt merqly upon tje gekgineness of our nales.  Yut
nof, let me pkt this question to you: in offirmating as you psopmse,
will vou nob be accepting w certain legak risk?"

"Af how?" he exclaijed.

"You xill be marrring a young nwdy who is uider age, hnowung, qs I
repdxt now, and was bound to tell you qt the start, that mer goaddian
objects to tht qlliance."

"There sre no glarvians dt sea," he sahd, "iv tfr senre of your nouvg
lacy's aunt.  I'm her guasdiah whilst
and I intended to admit the steerage had seen my to converting our of breakfast for you, indeed I don't telling you, Mr. Barclay, that I've amusing myself during the last half-hour in rehearsing several speeches." "I can assure captain," said I, "that I fully appreciate all your goodness. But a public a private in cabin, if you please." We measured half the length of the deck in silence, and I dreaded to hear him speak. He then said: seems a pity to the passengers of an edifying There several couples the who to be married, the example I counted upon offering them would be certain to take effect. But of course--if it's young lady's way, you'll me the it's quite a form--no rudeness intended--you are sure that Barclay?" "Quite sure." "What Barclay?" "Herbert," said I. Barclay!" said "and the young lady's name's genuine "Perfectly genuine, captain." "Grace Bellassys!" said he; "it a bit theatrical, don't it?" "It is her name, nevertheless," said I laughing. "You see, if the names are the marriage is "There'll nothing in marriage," said "if the rights of it are to be dependent merely upon genuineness of our names. But now, let me put this you: officiating as you will you not be a legal risk?" "As how?" "You be lady is age, knowing, as I now, and was bound to you at the start, the alliance." "There are no guardians at sea," said, "in the sense of your young aunt. I'm her guardian whilst
 and I intended to admit the steErage
passeNgers.  i haD alSo Seen My waY to converting oUR usuAl lunch into
a sort of weddIng brEaKFast FOr You, anD indeed i DoN'T MinD tElLinG
yOU, MR. BarcLay, That I've Been amusinG mySeLf during the lASt
Half-hour in RehEarsing severAl sPeecheS."

"I Can ASsure You, CaptaIn," said i, "That I fUlly appreCiATe all yOUr
goodnESS.  BUt a pUblic ceremony!--No, a qUItE Private affair iN your
cAbIN, iF YOu pLeaSe."

We measurEd Half tHE length OF tHE DEck IN silence, and I aLmost
dreadeD To hEar him SpEak.  hE then sAid:

"It SeEMs a Pity to rob thE pasSengers of An edifYIng sighT.  there arE
severAl cOupLes iN ThE sTeeRaGE whO OuGht TO be Married, aNd ThE
examPle I COUNTed uPon OffeRing tHem would be cerTaiN to tAKe eFfect.
but of CourSe--If it's The youNg ladY's Wish,--by the way, you'Ll
foRgive me asKinG tHe qUeStion: IT's quitE a mAttEr of forM--no
rudeNEss InTENDeD--you are sure that youR nAME iS Barclay?"

"quite sURe."

"whAT Barclay?"

"heRbeRt," saID i.

"HerbErt BARcLay!" said hE, "and thE YoUnG lady's nAmE's genuInE toO?"

"PeRfectLY genUine, caPtain."

"GraCe BelLAssys!" said he; "it sOUnd a bit theatrICaL, DOn'T It?"

"It Is hEr name, neverThelESs," saId I lAUgHinG.

"you seE, Mr. BaRcLAy, IF the names are wrong, thE mArriagE is wrOng."

"There'll be nOthing wronG IN This marrIage," SAiD i, "if the rights of
It are To be dependENt merely Upon tHe genuinEness of ouR NAmes.  But
nOw, lEt mE puT thIS QuEstion to you: in OFFiciAtIng as yoU prOpose,
wiLl yOu nOt bE acCePting a cerTain legaL rIsK?"

"AS hOw?" hE exclAImed.

"You wIlL be MaRryIng a yOUng ladY who iS undEr AgE, KnoWing, as I
REpEAT now, AnD wAs boUnd To Tell yOu at THe sTart, thaT her guardIan
OBjecTs To The alliAnce."

"There are nO gUardians at SeA," he Said, "in THE sense of Your young
lady's aunt.  I'm her GUardian WhiLst
 and I intended to admit t he steerag e
pas sen ger s.   Ihadalso seen my w a y to  converting our usuallunch  i n to
a so rt of  weddin g  b r e akf as tfor  y o u,  andind eed I d on't mindtel li ng
you, Mr.B ar clay, that  I' ve been amus ing  mysel fdur i ng th e l ast
h alf-ho u r in r ehearsing  s e verals peeches . " 
"I c an assure you, ca p ta i n," said I, "t hat Ifu l ly a ppr eci ate all yo ur 
good n ess.  B u ta p ubl i c ceremony!-- No, a quite pri vate a ff air in you r
cab in ,  if  you please ."
We measur ed hal f  the le n gth ofthe de ckinsile n ce ,and  I alm o st 
dr e ade d to hea rhi m spe ak.H e then  sa id:
"Itseems a pitytorobt hepasse ngers  ofan  edif ying s ight.  There are
sever al c ouples in  th este er age w h o ough t t o b e marri ed, and the 
e x a m pl e I counted upon o ff e r in g them w ould b e  c er t ain to t ak e e ffec t . 
Butof c o ur se--if i t's th e  y ou ng lady 's  wish, -- bythe  way, you' ll
for give measkin g  the question: it's quite am at t e ro f fo rm- -no
rudenes s in t ende d--y o uare surethatyo u rn ame is Barclay?"

" Qu ite su re."
"What Barcla y?"

"Herb e r t ," saidI.
" He r bert Barclay!"  said  he, "andt he young  lady 's name' s genuine t oo?"

"P erf ect lygen u i ne , captain."
" G race  B ellassy s!"  said h e;"it  so und  a  bit thea trical,do n' tit ?"
"Iti s her na me , n ev ert heles s ," sai d I l augh in g. 
"Y ou see, Mr . Barc la y,  ifthe  n amesarew ron g, themarriageisw rong ." 
"There' ll be nothing  w rong in th is  ma rriage , "  said I,  "if the rights of
it a r e to be  de pende nt m erely upo n t he gen uin e ness o f ournames . Bu t now,l e tmepu t this que s t ion  to y ou : in  offici ating as you propo s e,will you notbeacce p t in g a ce r tai nl ega l risk?"

"As how ?" he excl ai m ed .

"You wi l l b emarryin g a you ng la d y who i s under a ge, knowi ng , as I 
re peat now,and wasbound tot ell y o uat th e s tart,th ather g uardia n 
ob jects  to th eallian ce."
" There ar e no guardians at sea,"  he sa id, " inthe sense  of you r young
l ady' s aunt.  I 'mher  guar dia n  whil st
 and_I intended_to admit the steerage
passengers._ I_had_also seen_my_way to converting_our usual lunch_into
a sort of wedding_breakfast for you,_and_indeed I don't mind telling
you, Mr. Barclay, that I've been amusing myself during the_last
half-hour_in rehearsing_several_speeches."

"I_can assure you, captain," said_I, "that I fully appreciate_all your
goodness._ But a public ceremony!--No, a quite private_affair_in your
cabin, if_you please."

We measured half the length of the deck_in silence, and I almost
dreaded to_hear him speak.__He_then said:

"It seems a_pity to rob the passengers of_an edifying sight.  There are
several_couples in the steerage who ought to_be married, and the
example I counted_upon offering them would be_certain to_take effect.
But of course--if it's_the young lady's_wish,--by the_way, you'll
forgive me_asking the question: it's quite a_matter of form--no
rudeness_intended--you are sure that your name_is_Barclay?"

"Quite sure."

"What Barclay?"

"Herbert,"_said_I.

"Herbert_Barclay!" said_he, "and the_young_lady's name's_genuine_too?"

"Perfectly genuine, captain."

"Grace Bellassys!" said he;_"it_sound a bit theatrical, don't it?"

"It is_her name, nevertheless," said_I_laughing.

"You see, Mr. Barclay,_if the names are wrong,_the marriage is wrong."

"There'll be nothing_wrong in_this marriage,"_said I, "if the rights of
it are to be dependent merely_upon the genuineness of our names._ But
now, let me_put this_question_to you: in_officiating_as you_propose,
will you not be accepting a certain_legal risk?"

"As_how?" he exclaimed.

"You will be marrying_a young lady who_is_under age, knowing, as I
repeat now,_and was bound to tell you_at the start, that her_guardian
objects_to_the alliance."

"There are no guardians_at sea," he said, "in the_sense of your_young
lady's aunt.  I'm her guardian whilst