He makes a considering noise.  It's an interesting question, and so is the perspective it comes from...

"I expect there would be children, and it doesn't sound like it'd be good for them. But if she just... wanted nothing to do with me, after the first while... the oath doesn't prevent me from sending her money for the household and staying away otherwise, and I expect I would do that."

"And her oath says she can't do that?"

"That she can't do what? Leave the children and go earn money to send back? Who would do the actual taking care of them?"

"No, if you both do the normal oath 'stead of just you, she can't decide she don't want you around an' tell you to get?"

"She can... tell me that's what she wants, and I would do it. But not every man would, and no, she doesn't have a way to make it happen anyway. Do you think it would be better, if she could?" He does seem like he's genuinely thinking about it.

"Well, not you in specific.  Nor paladins in general, s'pose.  Just knew a lot of girls back home as wished their fellows would leave 'em, money or no money."

He smiles a little at the vote of confidence, then goes solemn again.  "Yes, that does happen. Less often in other countries, I would hope, but I know it does. And then the question is – how often would it be better for the children, and how often worse, if their mother could make that decision? And how much less would she try to make the marriage work, if it was easy to leave it? Would the man act better or worse, for the risk? I do see what you mean, that people just shouldn't be left in miserable circumstances, but-- I don't know that it can really be made to work, with how the world is. Or at least-- people who want it should not make oaths to each other, and I don't think their families are usually going to be better off for it."