Marvin Macy doesn't return from prison to marry Amelia, he married Amelia before he went to prison, was rejected by her on their wedding night and was permanently relegated to sleep in a shed. She ruthlessly drives him away. Marvin returns after being released from prison to spoil the brief period of happiness Amelia has enjoyed with her newfound relation, which leads to the bare-knuckle fight.

Mary Hale:
Marvin changed himself. That time he loved Miss Amelia. Well, it seemed like he changed completely -- he was -- he was good to me, and to Henry... You remember that, doncha'?


Rev. Willin:
I remember that.


Mary Hale:
Why'd she throw him out? Why'd she marry him and then throw him out? Why?


Rev. Willin:
I don't know. All I know is... that it takes two people to be in love. It takes the... lover... and the beloved. But these two, they come from... diff'rent countries. And sometimes, the... the belove is the cause for all the, all the stored-up love that's lain in the heart of the lover for such... a looong time, and every lover knows that... deep... deep in his soul, he knows that his love is a lonely and solitary thing --

[sad chuckle]


Rev. Willin:
-- and the funny thing is, the object of that love... can be anybody, and it just don't... matter one whit.

[shakes head]


Rev. Willin:
That's why I guess most of us, we'd rather be... the lover than to be loved, I mean, because the state of bein'... beloved is... is intolerable. See an' then, after a while... the beloved gets to hate the lover, because the lover's always trying to strip, strip, strip baaare... the beloved. See, that's because the... the lover... 'e craves that love -- even though he knows that that love can only cause 'im pain.