Never must he think
of anything but the simple elements of the problem--he must ignore
whose toes are trodden upon, whose feelings are hurt, whose
happiness is apparently marred. For note this: if a man does
fearlessly the right thing, I am convinced that in the readjustment
all these conflicting interests find themselves bettered instead of
injured. You want a concrete instance? I believe firmly that if
the general had kept to his army life, and made his wife conform to
it, after the storm had passed she would have settled down to a
happy existence. I cannot prove it--I believe it."
"This may be all very true, Gerald," said Orde, "but I fail to see
why you have brought us to this strange house to tell it."
"In a moment," replied Gerald. "Have patience. Believing that
thoroughly, I have come in the last twenty-four hours to a decision.
That this happens not to affect my own immediate fortunes does not
seem to me to invalidate my philosophy."
He carefully unbuttoned his frock coat, crossed his legs, produced a
paper and a package from his inside pocket, and eyed the two before
him.
"I have here," he went on suddenly, "marriage papers duly made out;
in this package is a plain gold ring; in the next room is waiting,
by prearrangement, a very good friend of mine in the clergy.
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