"The rest of the case for allowing multiple wives, just for completeness's sake, is that rich men will - barring really very exceptional virtue and good luck of circumstances - not be faithful to their wives, and they will either take second wives or mistresses, and I think both of these typically involve wronging people but the mistresses more inevitably and irredressably so."

"What is it that gets into rich men specifically?" asks Soler incredulously.

Ow.

"I don't know. I don't think it is inevitable, people are perfectly capable of living lives to this standard of virtue and even to higher ones, but I think we're talking about - four rich men in five, who'll take a mistress or a second wife, not the worst third of them. In countries that are not Asmodean Cheliax."

"Which is why the penalty we're looking at is a pure fine," she observes, looking at Llei.

- oh, right, because he suggested that. "Yes. Compensation, I think, is doable. Anything that seems aimed at prevention, among the wealthy, will not pass the floor."