raven, as they left the church.

"It was the certificate of marriage which the minister usually--and very
properly--gives to the newly-married woman," answered the bride.

"Oh, quite right, my angel!" replied the doomed bridegroom, as he
tenderly put her into the cab and took his seat beside her.

And then he clasped her to his honest heart in an ecstasy of love and
went off into the most extravagant rhapsodies about his happiness.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

AFTER THE WICKED WEDDING.

"And I no friends to back my cause withal,
But the plain devil and dissembling looks.
I have him, but I will not keep him long."

"Did you tell the coachman where to drive?" inquired the bride, as the
carriage rolled rapidly through one of the principal streets of the
city.

"Yes, dearest," answered the infatuated bridegroom. "I told him to drive
to the Asterick, where I am stopping, and where I have had elegant rooms
prepared for your reception. Do you think I could have forgotten
anything in which your comfort was concerned?"

"No, I am sure you could not; but--" She hesitated a moment, and then
added: "I wanted to go somewhere else."

"My love--my love, you shall go where you please. After we have got to
our rooms at the Asterick, and refreshed and rested ourselves, we will
consult about where to go and spend a pleasant fortnight together," he
answered, affectionately.

"Yes; but I don't want to go to the Asterick just yet."

"Where then? I will go anywhere you wish."

"You know I did not come to this city alone."

"Didn't you, dear? I thought you did."

"No; I came with a party of lady friends. And I left them all abruptly
this morning to meet you, without telling them where I was going or when
I should be back. I have now been gone two hours. They will be uneasy
about me by this time. I must go back there and relieve their anxiety,
and also get my traveling-bag."

"Very well, my darling, we will drive there immediately."

"No, no; _you_ must not go there! I have not told them anything about my
intended marriage, so I don't want them to know anything about it, lest
they should be offended. There is a reading-room at the corner of the
street near the hotel. Stop there, and I will get out and walk to the
house and take leave of my friends, and then return to the reading-room
and join you. In the meantime you can send the carriage away, and while
waiting for me you can amuse yourself looking over the books."