steady one's nerves, High
Bailiff?"

The High Bailiff made some reply, at which the men laughed, all except
my father. Then they left me and went into another room, the
dining-room, and I heard the jingling of glasses and the drinking of
healths while I sat before the fire with my foot on the fender and my
marriage lines in my hand.

My brain was still numbed. I felt as one might feel if drowned in the
sea and descending, without quite losing consciousness, to the depths of
its abyss.

I remember I thought that what I had just gone through differed in no
respect from the signing of my marriage settlement, except that in the
one case I had given my husband rights over my money, my father's money,
whereas in this case I seemed to have given him rights over myself.

Otherwise it was all so cold, so drear, so dead, so unaffecting.

The blue paper had slipped out of my hand on to the worn hearthrug when
my helpless meditations were interrupted by the thrumming and throbbing
of the motor-car outside, and by my father, who was at the office door,
saying in his loud, commanding voice:

"Come, gel, guess it's time for you to be back."

Half an hour afterwards I was in my own room at home, and given over to
the dressmakers. I was still being moved automatically--a creature
without strength or will.

THIRTY-FIRST CHAPTER

I have only an indefinite memory of floating vaguely through the sights
and sounds of the next two hours--of everybody except myself being
wildly excited; of my cousins railing repeatedly from unseen regions of
the house: of Aunt Bridget scolding indiscriminately; of the dressmakers
chattering without ceasing as they fitted on my wedding dress; of their
standing off from me at intervals with cries of delight at the success
of their efforts; of the wind roaring in the chimney; of the
church-bells ringing in the distance; of the ever-increasing moaning of
the sea about St. Mary's Rock; and finally of the rumbling of the rubber
wheels of several carriages and the plash of horses' hoofs on the gravel
of the drive.

When the dressmakers were done with me I was wearing an ivory satin
dress, embroidered in silver, with a coronal of myrtle and orange
blossoms under the old Limerick lace of the family veil, as well as a
string of pearls and one big diamond of the noble house I was marrying
into. I remember they said my black hair shone with a blue lustre
against the sparkling gem, and I dare say I lo