The prince tried to comfort her, but Elèn, as if quite distraught, said through her tears that there was nothing to prevent her marrying, that there were precedents (there were up to that time very few, but she mentioned Napoleon and some other exalted personages), that she had never been her husband’s wife, and that she had been sacrificed.

“But the law, religion⁠ ⁠…” said the prince, already yielding.

“The law, religion⁠ ⁠… What have they been invented for if they can’t arrange that?” said Elèn.

The prince was surprised that so simple an idea had not occurred to him, and he applied for advice to the holy brethren of the Society of Jesus, with whom he was on intimate terms.