human
It is true that the church in guarding sacredly the marriage bond is jealous that it shall be a marriage bond that she undertakes to guard. If there should have been an impediment in this first marriage--but I hardly dare think of it, for the chances are very slender. A prohibited degree of kindred would nullify a marriage. There is nothing of this, I take it. If consent had clearly been lacking--we cannot hope for that. If her husband never had been baptized----
gpt
What difference would that make?
human
A Christian could not contract marriage with a pagan--such a union would be null.
gpt
Would a good Catholic enter into such a union?
human
No.
gpt
Then she would not. If she had been a disgrace to her religion she might have done it. If she had been a woman of less character, less intelligence it might be. If she had been a worse Catholic, he concluded with a tinge of bitterness,
human
Better perhaps, as to present difficulties; worse as to that character which you have just paid tribute to; which makes, in part, her charm as a woman--the charm of any good woman to a good man. You cannot have and not have. When you surrender character a great deal goes with it.
gpt
There is nothing then that you can do.
human
If there be no defect--if this first marriage was a valid marriage--I am powerless in the circumstances. I can do nothing to allow her to remarry while her husband lives.
gpt
We cannot, of course, _kill_ him, he said quietly.
human
And I am sorry, he added, as if to close the interview,