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           "Nice"women,howeverwronged,wouldneverclaimthekindoffreedomhemeant,andgenerous-mindedmenlikehimselfweretherefore—intheheatofargument—themorechivalrouslyreadytoconcedeittothem.Suchverbalgenerositieswereinfactonlyahumbuggingdisguiseoftheinexorableconventionsthattiedthingstogetherandboundpeopledowntotheoldpattern.Butherehewaspledgedtodefend,onthepartofhisbetrothed’scousin,conductthat,onhisownwife’spart,wouldjustifyhimincallingdownonherallthethundersofChurchandState.Ofcoursethedilemmawaspurelyhypothetical;sincehewasn’tablackguardPolishnobleman,itwasabsurdtospeculatewhathiswife’srightswouldbeifheWERE.ButNewlandArcherwastooimaginativenottofeelthat,inhiscaseandMay’s,thetiemightgallforreasonsfarlessgrossandpalpable.Whatcouldheandshereallyknowofeachother,sinceitwashisduty,asa"decent"fellow,toconcealhispastfromher,andhers,asamarriageablegirl,tohavenopasttoconceal?Whatif,forsomeoneofthesubtlerreasonsthatwouldtellwithbothofthem,theyshouldtireofeachother,misunderstandorirritateeachother?Hereviewedhisfriends’marriages—thesupposedlyhappyones—andsawnonethatanswered,evenremotely,tothepassionateandtendercomradeshipwhichhepicturedashispermanentrelationwithMayWelland.