But here the entrance of the chamber-maid, with a fresh dress from
the dressmaker's, resolved the conversation into a discussion so very
minute and technical that it cannot be recorded in our pages.

CHAPTER V.

_WEDDING, AND WEDDING-TRIP_.

Well, and so they were married, with all the newest modern forms,
ceremonies, and accessories.

Every possible thing was done to reflect lustre on the occasion. There
were eight bridesmaids, and every one of them fair as the moon; and
eight groomsmen, with white-satin ribbons and white rosebuds in their
button-holes; and there was a bishop, assisted by a priest, to give
the solemn benedictions of the church; and there was a marriage-bell
of tuberoses and lilies, of enormous size, swinging over the heads of
the pair at the altar; and there were voluntaries on the organ, and
chantings, and what not, all solemn and impressive as possible. In the
midst of all this, the fair Lillie promised, "forsaking all others,
to keep only unto him, so long as they both should live,"--"to love,
honor, and obey, until death did them part."

During the whole agitating scene, Lillie kept up her presence of mind,
and was perfectly aware of what she was about; so that a very fresh,
original, and crisp style of trimming, that had been invented in Paris
specially for her wedding toilet, received no detriment from the least
unguarded movement. We much regret that it is contrary to our literary
principles to write half, or one third, in French; because the
wedding-dress, by far the most important object on this occasion, and
certainly one that most engrossed the thoughts of the bride, was one
entirely indescribable in English. Just as there is no word in the
Hottentot vocabulary for "holiness," or "purity," so there are
no words in our savage English to describe a lady's dress; and,
therefore, our fair friends must be recommended, on this point, to
exercise their imagination in connection with the study of the finest
French plates, and they may get some idea of Lillie in her wedding
robe and train.

Then there was the wedding banquet, where everybody ate quantities of
the most fashionable, indigestible horrors, with praiseworthy courage
and enthusiasm; for what is to become of "_pate de fois gras_" if we
don't eat it? What is to become of us if we do is entirely a secondary
question.

On the whole, there was not one jot nor tittle of the most exorbitant
requirements of fashion that was not f