oul went about, half scolding, half crying; hoping nothing
might happen, or consoling herself with looking alternately at her
pretty peach-coloured dress, and her "James," who walked about,
indulging in gay reminiscences of his own wedding, and looking the most
comfortable specimen imaginable of a worthy middle-aged "family man."
Nevertheless, in spite of Mr. Thornycroft's efforts to cheer up the
dreariness of the group, it was a great relief to everybody when, at the
earliest reasonable time, the bride's small party started, and were at
length assembled under the dark arches of Bloomsbury Church--darker than
usual today, for the morning had gloomed over, and become close, hot,
and thundery.

Punctually at eleven, but not a minute before, which--Emma
whispered--was certainly not quite courteous in a bridegroom, Mr. Harper
came in. There was no one with him.

"My brother not here?" he said in anxiety.

Some one hinted that Major Harper was never very punctual.

"He ought to be, this day at least," observed Mr. Thorny-croft. "And I
am confident I saw him not half-an-hour ago walking homeward round the
other side of Bedford Square. Do not be alarmed about him, pray." This
last remark was addressed to Agatha, who, overpowered by the closeness
of the day, and by these repeated disasters, had begun to turn pale.

Nathanael watched her with a keen anxiety, which only agitated her the
more. Every one seemed uneasy and rather dull;--a circumstance not very
remarkable, since, in spite of the popular delusion on that subject,
very few ever really look happy at a wedding. It makes clearer to each
one the silent ghost sitting in every human heart, which may take any
form--bliss long desired, lost, or unfulfilled--or, in the fulfilling
changed to pain--or, at best, looked back upon with a memory
half-pensive if only because it is the past.

For forty interminable minutes did the little party wait in the dreary
church aisles, until the clock, and likewise the beadle, warned them it
was near the canonical hour.

"What are we to do?" whispered the bridegroom, looking towards Anne
Valery. She took his hand, and drawing it towards Agatha's which hung on
her arm, said earnestly:

"Wait no longer--life's changes will not wait Marry her _now_--nothing
should come between lovers that love one another."

Anne's manner, so faltering, so different from her usual self,
irresistibly impressed the hearers. Silently the little group moved