spending the honeymoon.

However, it was not to be so.

"All right, the eleventh," I said. "Any particular month?"

"No," smiled Celia, "just any month. Or, if you like, every month."

"The eleventh of June," I surmised. "It is probably the one day in the
year on which my Uncle Thomas cannot come. But no matter. The eleventh
let it be."

"Then that's settled. And at St. Miriam's?"

For some reason Celia has set her heart on St. Miriam's. Personally I
have no feeling about it. St. Andrew's-by-the-Wardrobe or St.
Bartholomew's-Without would suit me equally well.

"All right," I said, "St. Miriam's."

There, you might suppose, the matter would have ended; but no.

"Then you will see about it to-morrow?" said Celia persuasively.

I was appalled at the idea.

"Surely," I said, "this is for you, or your father, or--or somebody to
arrange."

"Of _course_ it's for the bridegroom," protested Celia.

"In theory, perhaps. But anyhow not the bridegroom personally. His best
man ... or his solicitor ... or ... I mean, you're not suggesting that I
myself---- Oh, well, if you insist. Still, I must say I don't see what's
the good of having a best man _and_ a solicitor if---- Oh, all right,
Celia, I'll go to-morrow."

So I went. For half an hour I padded round St. Miriam's nervously, and
then summoning up all my courage, I knocked my pipe out and entered.

"I want," I said jauntily to a sexton or a sacristan or something--"I
want--er--a wedding." And I added, "For two."

He didn't seem as nervous as I was. He enquired quite calmly when I
wanted it.

"The eleventh of June," I said. "It's probably the one day in the year
on which my Uncle Thomas---- However, that wouldn't interest you. The
point is that it's the eleventh."

The clerk consulted his wedding-book. Then he made the surprising
announcement that the only day he could offer me in June was the
seventeenth. I was amazed.

"I am a very old customer," I said reproachfully. "I mean, I have often
been to your church in my time. Surely----"

"We've weddings fixed on all the other days."

"Yes, yes, but you could persuade somebody to change his day, couldn't
you? Or if he is very much set on being married on the eleventh you
might recommend some other church to him. I daresay you know of some
good ones. You see, Celia--my--that is, we're particularly keen, for
some reason, on St. Miriam's."

The clerk didn't appreciate my suggestion. He insisted that the
seve