eady considerable cogitations.

The parson faced them, fumbling at his book, Mr. Caryll's eyes watching
him with that cold, level glance of theirs. The parson looked up, met
that uncanny gaze, displayed his teeth in a grin of terror, fell to
trembling, and dropped the book in his confusion. Mr. Caryll, smiling
sardonically, stooped to restore it him.

There followed a fresh pause. Mr. Jenkins, having lost his place, seemed
at some pains to find it again--amazing, indeed, in one whose profession
should have rendered him so familiar with its pages.

Mr. Caryll continued to watch him, in silence, and--as an observer might
have thought, as, indeed, Gaskell did think, though he said nothing at
the time--with wicked relish.

CHAPTER III. THE WITNESS

At last the page was found again by Mr. Jenkins. Having found it, he
hesitated still a moment, then cleared his throat, and in the manner of
one hurling himself forward upon a desperate venture, he began to read.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God," he read,
and on in a nasal, whining voice, which not only was the very voice you
would have expected from such a man, but in accordance, too, with sound
clerical convention. The bridal pair stood before him, the groom with a
slight flush on his cheeks and a bright glitter in his black eyes, which
were not nice to see; the bride with bowed head and bosom heaving as in
response to inward tumult.

The cleric came to the end of his exordium, paused a moment, and
whether because he gathered confidence, whether because he realized
the impressive character of the fresh matter upon which he entered, he
proceeded now in a firmer, more sonorous voice: "I require and charge
you both as ye will answer on the dreadful day of judgment."

"Ye've forgot something," Mr. Caryll interrupted blandly.

His lordship swung round with an impatient gesture and an impatient
snort; the lady, too, looked up suddenly, whilst Mr. Jenkins seemed to
fall into an utter panic.

"Wha--what?" he stammered. "What have I forgot?"

"To read the directions, I think."

His lordship scowled darkly upon Mr. Caryll, who heeded him not at all,
but watched the lady sideways.

Mr. Jenkins turned first scarlet, then paler than he had been before,
and bent his eyes to the book to read in a slightly puzzled voice
the italicized words above the period he had embarked upon. "And also
speaking unto the persons that shall be married, he shal