Page:Indira and Other Stories.pdf/177

 my just gains. If ye separate, ye shall meet with condign and degrading punishment. So has the wisdom of our ancestors ordained."

It is, no doubt, from fear of this punishment that sacerdotal marriage is regarded as indissoluble. On the other hand, the form of marriage which is in force among us is called 'irregular' marriage. I cannot say that it is unknown in men's society. There are indeed men and women who make use of both forms of marriage. There is, however, this difference, that 'sacerdotal' marriage is never, I think, secretly contracted, whereas the other kind is always very carefully concealed. I understand that if one man happens to become aware that another man has contracted an irregular marriage, he immediately assaults or otherwise persecutes him. There can be little doubt that this is due to priestly instigation, since it is by means of 'sacerdotal' marriage that this variety of men procures rice and bananas. The most remarkable feature of these marriage customs is that men who have themselves entered into