at friend, the blessed old
church. When she fell upon her knees, it was as a most humble, most
submissive servant, entirely free from the stain of original sin; and in
her renunciation she was thoroughly content.

The Abbe Cornille, having mounted to the altar, had just come down
again. In a loud voice he made the exhortation; he cited as an example
the marriage which Jesus had contracted with the Church; he spoke of the
future, of days to come when they would live and govern themselves in
the true faith; of children whom they must bring up as Christians; and
then, once more, in face of this hope, Angelique again smiled sweetly,
while Felicien trembled at the idea of all this happiness, which he
believed to be assured. Then came the consecrated demands of the ritual,
the replies which united them together for their entire existence, the
decisive "Yes"--which she pronounced in a voice filled with emotion from
the depths of her heart, and which he said in a much louder tone, and
with a tender earnestness. The irrevocable step was taken, the clergyman
had placed their right hands together, one clasping the other, as he
repeated the prescribed formula: "I unite you in matrimony, in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost." But there were
still rings to be blessed, the symbols of inviolable fidelity, and of
the eternity of the union, which is lasting. In the silver basin, above
the rings of gold, the priest shook back and forth the asperges brush,
and making the sign of the Cross over each one, said, "Bless, O Lord,
this ring."

Then he presented them to the young couple, to testify to them that the
Church sanctified their union; that for the husband henceforth his heart
was sealed, and no other woman could ever enter therein; and the husband
was to place the ring upon his wife's finger in order to show her, in
his turn, that henceforth he alone among all men existed for her. This
was the strict union, without end, the sign of her dependence upon him,
which would recall to her constantly the vows she had made; it was also
the promise of a long series of years, to be passed together, as if by
this little circle of gold they were attached to each other even to the
grave.

And while the priest, after the final prayers, exhorted them once more,
Angelique wore always the sweet expression of renunciation; she, the
pure soul, who knew the truth.

Then, as the Abbe Cornille withdrew, accompanied by his cler