"
And he wore the chain.
The world, which is very materialistic at heart, repeated the verdict
of her friends:
"She marries him in order to be married; he marries her because he
wants a wife."
The world made nasty remarks, too. It said that he was marrying her
for the sake of her money; for hadn't he himself declared that
anything so degrading as love did not exist between them? There was
no need for friends to live together like married couples.
The wedding took place. The world had received a hint that they would
live together like brother and sister, and the world awaited with a
malicious grin the result of the great reform which should put
matrimony on another basis altogether.
The newly married couple went abroad.
When they returned, the young wife was pale and ill-tempered. She
began at once to take riding-lessons. The world scented mischief and
waited. The man looked as if he were guilty of a base act and was
ashamed of himself. It all came out at last.
"They have _not_ been living like brother and sister," said the world.
"What? Without loving one another? But that is--well, what is it?"
"A forbidden relationship!" said the materialists.
"It is a spiritual marriage!"
"Or incest," suggested an anarchist.
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