service, or even mistaken by any person for one of the
bridesmaids. Beyond her obligatory presence in the church as one of the
bride's family, Bee was resolved to have nothing to do with the
sacrilegious marriage.

"Come, my dear! Are you ready? How beautiful you are, my Claudia! I
never paid you a compliment before, my child; but surely I may be
excused for doing so now that you are about to leave me! 'How blessings
brighten as they take their flight,'" whispered the judge, as he met and
kissed his daughter.

And certainly Claudia's beauty seemed perfectly dazzling this morning.
She smiled a greeting to all her friends assembled there, and then gave
her hand to her father, who drew it within his arm and led her to the
carriage.

Ishmael, like one in a splendid, terrible dream, from which he could not
wake, in which he was obliged to act, went up to Bee and drew her little
white-gloved hand under his arm, and led her after the father and
daughter.

The other members of the marriage party followed in order.

Besides Judge Merlin's brougham and Mr. Middleton's barouche, there were
several other carriages drawn up before the house.

Bee surveyed this retinue and murmured:

"Indeed, except that we all wear light colors instead of black, and the
coachmen have no hat-scarfs, this looks quite as much like a funeral as
a wedding."

Ishmael did not reply; he could not wake from the dazzling, horrible
dream.

When they were seated in the carriage, Claudia and Beatrice occupied the
back seat; the judge and Ishmael the front one; the judge sat opposite
Bee, and Ishmael opposite Claudia.

The rich drifts of shining white satin and misty white lace that formed
her bridal dress floated around him; her foot inadvertently touched his,
and her warm, balmy breath passed him. Never had he been so close to
Claudia before; that carriage was so confined and crowded--dread
proximity! The dream deepened; it became a trance--that strange trance
that sometimes falls upon the victim in the midst of his sufferings held
Ishmael's faculties in abeyance and deadened his sense of pain.

And indeed the same spell, though with less force, acted upon all the
party in that carriage. Its mood was expectant, excited, yet dream-like.
There was scarcely any conversation. There seldom is under such
circumstances. Once the judge inquired:

"Bee, my dear, how is it that you are not one of Claudia's bridesmaids?"

"I did not wish to be, and Claudi