Baggs，ifamanandwomanaccepteachotherashusbandandwife，beforeonewitness，itisalawfulmarriage；andthatkindofweddingis，asyouseeplainlyenough，theonlysaferefugeforabridegroominmysituation。IfyouconsenttocomewithustoScotland，andserveaswitnesstothemarriage，IshallbedelightedtoacknowledgemysenseofyourkindnessintheeloquentlanguageoftheBankofEngland，asexpressedtotheworldingeneralonthesurfaceofafive-poundnote。”
IcautiouslysnatchedawaythebrandybottleasIspoke，andwasinthedrawing-roomwithitinaninstant。AsIsuppose，Mrs。
Baggstriedtofollowme，forIheardthedoorrattle，asifshehadgotoutofherchair，andsuddenlyslippedbackintoitagain。Ifeltcertainofherdecidingtohelpus，ifshewasonlysoberenoughtoreflectonwhatIhadsaidtoher。ThejourneytoScotlandwasatedious，andperhapsadangerous，undertaking。ButIhadnootheralternativetochoose。
Inthoseuncivilizeddays，theMarriageActhadnotbeenpassed，andtherewasnoconvenienthymenealregistrarinEnglandtochangeavagabondrunawaycoupleintoarespectablemanandwifeatamoment\'snotice。ThetroubleandexpenseoftakingMrs。
Baggswithus，Iencountered，ofcourse，solelyoutofregardforAlicia\'snaturalprejudices。Shehadledpreciselythatkindoflifewhichmakesanywomanbutabadonemorbidlysensitiveonthesubjectofsmallproprieties。Ifshehadbeenagirlwitharecognizedpositioninsociety，Ishouldhaveproposedtohertorunawaywithmealone。Asitwas，theverydefenselessnessofhersituationgaveher，inmyopinion，therighttoexpectfrommeeventheabsurdestsacrificestothenarrowestconventionalities。Mrs。Baggswasnotquitesosoberinherhabits，perhaps，asmatronsingeneralareexpectedtobe；but，formyparticularpurpose，thiswasonlyaslightblemish；ittakessolittle，afterall，torepresenttheabstractprincipleofproprietyintheshort-sightedeyeoftheworld。