mself, became more icy in his manner,
than ever.
Philip and Margaret were married in February, four months before the
time set for their departure. The wedding was solemnised in Trinity
Church, by the Rev. Mr. Barclay, on one of those white days with a
little snow in the air, which I for one prefer over sunny days, in
winter, as far more seasonable. The young gentlemen of the town
wondered that Miss Faringfield had not made a better match (as she
might have done, of course, in each one's secret opinion by choosing
himself). The young ladies, though some of them may have regretted the
subtraction of one eligible youth from their matrimonial chances, were
all of them rejoiced at the removal of a rival who had hitherto kept
the eyes of a score of youths, even more eligible, turned away from
them. And so they wished her well, with smiles the most genuine. She
valued not a finger-snap their thoughts or their congratulations. She
had, of late, imperceptibly moved aloof from them. Nor had she sought
the attentions of the young gentlemen. 'Twas not of her will that they
dangled. In truth she no longer had eyes or ears for the small
fashionable world of New York. She had a vastly greater world to
conquer, and disdained to trouble herself, by a smile or a glance, for
the admiration of the poor little world around her.
All her thoughts in her first months of marriage--and these were very
pleasant months to Philip, so charming and sweet-tempered was his
bride--were of the anticipated residence in England. It was still
settled that Philip was to go in June; and her going with him was now
daily a subject of talk in the family. Mr. Faringfield himself
occasionally mentioned it; indifferently, as if 'twere a thing to
which he never would have objected. Margaret used sometimes to smile,
thinking how her father had put it out of his power to oppose her
wishes: first by his friendly sanction to Phil's going, to refuse
which he had not the right; and then by his consent to her marriage,
to refuse which he had not the will.
Naturally Philip took pleasure in her anticipations, supposing that,
as to their source and object, they differed not from his. As the pair
were so soon to go abroad, 'twas thought unnecessary to set up in a
house of their own in New York, and so they made their home for the
time in the Faringfield mansion, the two large chambers over the great
parlour being allotted to them; while they continued to share the
fami
|