Man and Wife · Chapter
XXXV: The Day explained
On the morning of Blanche and Arnold's wedding, the couple meets secretly in the conservatory at Ham Farm.
What happens
On the morning of Blanche and Arnold's wedding, the couple meets secretly in the conservatory at Ham Farm. Blanche confesses her determination not to give up her friend Anne Silvester, and Arnold supports her, having already discussed the matter with Sir Patrick. They write a letter to Arnold's lawyer in Edinburgh to reopen the search for Anne. The wedding ceremony proceeds without incident, and the newlyweds depart for Switzerland.
Themes in this chapter
Marriage and Its Legal Bonds
The chapter describes the wedding ceremony as a 'terrible' binding of two people who know little of each other, and ends with a foreshadowing question about the validity of the marriage.
Friendship and Loyalty
Blanche's insistence on not abandoning Anne, and Arnold's support for her loyalty, highlight the theme of friendship overriding social expectations.
Characters to notice
- Blanche Lundie
The bride, who meets Arnold secretly before the wedding and confesses her refusal to abandon Anne Silvester.
- Arnold Brinkworth
The bridegroom, who supports Blanche's wish to find Anne and writes to his lawyer to restart the investigation.
- Sir Patrick Lundie
Mentioned as having spoken to Arnold about Blanche's attachment to Anne and as having closed the investigation earlier.
Key passages
“The service which binds two human beings, who know next to nothing of each other's natures, to risk the tremendous experiment of living together till death parts them”
Marriage is a risky commitment between two people who barely understand each other, meant to last a lifetime.
The narrator reflects on the inherent uncertainty of marriage.
“who could suppose that the time was coming, nevertheless, when the blighting question would fall on them, in the springtime of their love: Are you man and wife?”
No one could imagine that someday their marriage would be called into question.
Foreshadowing future doubts about the legality or validity of the union.