e
opposition to the Catholic party in France. The Church to him was not
so much a religious body as a political one, and to it he was
unalterably opposed. Personally, he would have no objections to being
married by a priest; but as a leader of the anti-clerical party he felt
that he must not recognize the Church's claim in any way. A religious
marriage would destroy his influence with his followers and might even
imperil the future of the republic.

They pleaded long and earnestly both then and afterward. He urged a
civil marriage, but she declared that only a marriage according to the
rites of the Church could ever purify her past and give her back her
self-respect. In this she was absolutely stubborn, yet she did not urge
upon Gambetta that he should destroy his influence by marrying her in
church.

Through all this interplay of argument and pleading and emotion the two
grew every moment more hopelessly in love. Then the woman, with a
woman's curious subtlety and indirectness, reached a somewhat singular
conclusion. She would hear nothing of a civil marriage, because a civil
marriage was no marriage in the eyes of Pope and prelate. On the other
hand, she did not wish Gambetta to mar his political career by going
through a religious ceremony. She had heard from a priest that the
Church recognized two forms of betrothal. The usual one looked to a
marriage in the future and gave no marriage privileges until after the
formal ceremony. But there was another kind of betrothal known to the
theologians as sponsalia de praesente. According to this, if there were
an actual betrothal, the pair might have the privileges and rights of
marriage immediately, if only they sincerely meant to be married in the
future.

The eager mind of Leonie Leon caught at this bit of ecclesiastical law
and used it with great ingenuity.

"Let us," she said, "be formally betrothed by the interchange of a
ring, and let us promise each other to marry in the future. After such
a betrothal as this we shall be the same as married; for we shall be
acting according to the laws of the Church."

Gambetta gladly gave his promise. A betrothal ring was purchased; and
then, her conscience being appeased, she gave herself completely to her
lover. Gambetta was sincere. He said to her:

"If the time should ever come when I shall lose my political station,
when I am beaten in the struggle, when I am deserted and alone, will
you not then marry me when I ask you