ine's spirits rose with the
brisk drive in the teeth of the night gale. She was with Laurence; she
was never to part from him more. All life held of rapture was said for
her in that. It was rather a drawback, certainly, that she might not
tell them at home of her felicity at once, but she would just drop them
a line from Boston to say she was safe and well and happy, that they
were not to worry about her, and to beg Mr. Gilbert's--poor Mr.
Gilbert's--pardon. That much Laurence would consent to, of course. To be
married in a hotel parlor, by a Congregationalist Minister was also ever
so little of a drawback, to a little French Canadienne, but one must not
expect unalloyed earthly happiness. And had not Laurence said they would
go one day to Montreal--dear old Montreal, and be remarried in Notre
Dame? Then she would visit Aunt Hetty and Uncle Reuben; then she would
go to New York and plead with Mr. Darcy for her beloved husband, and Mr.
Darcy would grant that pardon, and then--what then? Well, nothing then,
of course, only live and be happy forever after! The sloop, in which Mr.
Thorndyke had engaged passage, was ready to sail. Norine was consigned
to the care of the captain's wife for the trip, and was soon so utterly
prostrate with _mal de mer_, that love and Laurence were forgotten.

To tell the truth, Mr. Thorndyke was miserably sea-sick himself; but
this mode of travel had been forced upon him by the exigencies of the
case. The pursuers must be thrown off the track. Gilbert would surely
suspect and follow; if they went by rail, he would inevitably hunt them
down. So, of necessity, he chose the sloop, and with a head wind and
driving rain, spent Monday night, Tuesday, and Tuesday night sea-sick
and prostrate. Wednesday morning came and they were in Boston. It came
in pouring rain and leaden sky, and the bleak easterly wind your
Bostonian dreads. They drove to the hotel, Miss Bourdon dreadfully
ashamed of her old waterproof, and ascended to their private parlor. Mr.
Thorndyke ordered breakfast to be served here at once, and both partook
of that repast when it came, with very excellent appetites. Mr.
Thorndyke had had some more brandy, which tonic, doubtless, stimulated
his appetite, his resolution and his love together. Then he put on his
hat, looked at his watch, and departed on matrimonial business intent.

"I'll be off for the Reverend Jonas Maggs (his name's the Reverend Jonas
Maggs) at once, and make you Mrs. Thor