I have been unable to deduce meaning of "charcoal" in the end of this paragraph:
"'It's easy enough to understand it,' replied the choleric old
gentleman. 'If you had been a younger man, you would have
been in the secret long ago; and besides,' added Wardle, after a
moment's hesitation, 'the truth is, that, knowing nothing of this
matter, I have rather pressed Emily for four or five months past,
to receive favourably (if she could; I would never attempt to
force a girl's inclinations) the addresses of a young gentleman
down in our neighbourhood. I have no doubt that, girl-like, to
enhance her own value and increase the ardour of Mr. Snodgrass,
she has represented this matter in very glowing colours, and that
they have both arrived at the conclusion that they are a terribly-
persecuted pair of unfortunates, and have no resource but
clandestine matrimony, or charcoal. Now the question is, what's to be done?'"

charcoal is made by 'burning' wood with limited oxogen-- it smolders, and is heated, but it never 'flames'

could it mean to be smoldering? to be unmarried, and have ones passion smoldering, (unconsumated) the way wood is 'burnt' but not consumed by flames?

In Scotland a young couple could be married by a blacksmith without parental consent. Elopements to Gretna Green, first town over the border on the main stage line, where a couple could be married "over the forge" or "over the anvil" were common in fiction. I wonder if there could be a connection. (too many period romances in my young days - no harlequins tho")

Excellent question, wwh! And Zed's and of troy's responses are both excellent, too!

What's the work you're reading?

I'll check some sources today. Both Zed's and of troy's explanations seem plausible, of troy's being more poetic and Zed's being more of the culture.

It will be fun to find out which is more likely--or whether there may be other explanations, too!

Based on Zed's information, I found this URL which confirms her statements:
http://www.aboutbritain.com/WorldFamousOldBlacksmith.htm

Edit: Dear WW: the quotation is from Pickwick Papers, Ch.54, about 1/3 from beginning.

I am in the throes of moving and nothing is where I want it, including my copy of the Pickwick Papers, but I have a vague memory that charcoal gas was a popular form of suicide at the time. The idea being that they would either elope or commit suicide if they are not allowed to marry.

Bingley

Ah! The plot smokily thickens...