, she was enrolled in the hero's band, which now numbered three,
and entered upon the duties with feminine energy, for there are no
conspirators like women. Ripton's lieutenancy became a sinecure, his
rank merely titular. He had never been married--he knew nothing about
licences, except that they must be obtained, and were not difficult--he
had not an idea that so many days' warning must be given to the
clergyman of the parish where one of the parties was resident. How
should he? All his forethought was comprised in the ring, and whenever
the discussion of arrangements for the great event grew particularly hot
and important, he would say, with a shrewd nod: "We mustn't forget the
ring, you know, Mrs. Berry!" and the new member was only prevented by
natural complacence from shouting: "Oh, drat ye! and your ring too."
Mrs. Berry had acted conspicuously in fifteen marriages, by banns, and
by licence, and to have such an obvious requisite dinned in her ears was
exasperating. They could not have contracted alliance with an auxiliary
more invaluable, an authority so profound; and they acknowledged it
to themselves. The hero marched like an automaton at her bidding;
Lieutenant Thompson was rejoiced to perform services as errand-boy in
the enterprise.

"It's in hopes you'll be happier than me, I do it," said the devout and
charitable Berry. "Marriages is made in heaven, they say; and if that's
the case, I say they don't take much account of us below!"

Her own woeful experiences had been given to the hero in exchange for
his story of cruel parents.

Richard vowed to her that he would henceforth hold it a duty to hunt out
the wanderer from wedded bonds, and bring him back bound and suppliant.

"Oh, he'll come!" said Mrs. Berry, pursing prophetic wrinkles: "he'll
come of his own accord. Never anywhere will he meet such a cook as Bessy
Berry! And he know her value in his heart of hearts. And I do believe,
when he do come, I shall be opening these arms to him again, and not
slapping his impidence in the face--I'm that soft! I always was--in
matrimony, Mr. Richards!"

As when nations are secretly preparing for war, the docks and arsenals
hammer night and day, and busy contractors measure time by inches, and
the air hums around: for leagues as it were myriads of bees, so the
house and neighbourhood of the matrimonial soft one resounded in
the heroic style, and knew little of the changes of light decreed by
Creation. Mrs. Berry w