A LEGAL ENTITY. 243 



grave for more than a hundred years, for what I know. 

 Don't talk to me about BLACKSTONE.' 



" ' But, my dear, you are my wife, and BLACKSTONE 

 says' 



" ' I don't care a fig what BLACKSTONE says. If I am your 

 wife, I am my mother's daughter, and my brother's sister, 

 and Tommy's mother, and there are four distinct individu- 

 alities all centered in myself.' 



" 'But,' said I again, ' BLBCKSTONE says' 



" ' Confound that Blackstone,' she exclaimed ; ' I do be- 

 lieve he has driven the wits out of the man's head. Now, 



look you, Mr. W , you invited me to ride with you ; you 



now say I am nobody. Very well. If nobody leaves you, 

 I suppose you won't be without company, for somebody cer- 

 tainly left home with you this morning, and has rode with 



you thus far. So, good-bye, Mr. W ; success to your 



fishing, Mr, W ,' and she struck into a gallop towards 



home. 



" ' Hallo !' said I, ' I give up the point. I take back all 

 I said. CWpa mea, my good wife. IiBlackstone does 

 say' 



" ' Not a word more about Blackstone,' said she, shaking 

 her whip, half serious half playfully, at me ; ' if I go with 

 you, I go as somebody a legal entity.' 



" ' Very well,' said I, ' we'll drop the argument.' 



" ' Not the argument, but the fact, Mr. W ; and ad- 

 mit that Blackstone was a goose, and that his law, like his 

 logic, is all nonsense when measured by the standard of 



