. The rooms were dried by steam; the cellars were
stocked; the manager collected round him his army of skilled servants;
and the new hotel was advertised all over Europe to open in October.

CHAPTER XV

(MISS AGNES LOCKWOOD TO MRS. FERRARI)

'I promised to give you some account, dear Emily, of the marriage of
Mr. Arthur Barville and Miss Haldane. It took place ten days since.
But I have had so many things to look after in the absence of the
master and mistress of this house, that I am only able to write to you
to-day.

'The invitations to the wedding were limited to members of the families
on either side, in consideration of the ill health of Miss Haldane's
aunt. On the side of the Montbarry family, there were present, besides
Lord and Lady Montbarry, Sir Theodore and Lady Barville; Mrs. Norbury
(whom you may remember as his lordship's second sister); and Mr.
Francis Westwick, and Mr. Henry Westwick. The three children and I
attended the ceremony as bridesmaids. We were joined by two young
ladies, cousins of the bride and very agreeable girls. Our dresses
were white, trimmed with green in honour of Ireland; and we each had a
handsome gold bracelet given to us as a present from the bridegroom.
If you add to the persons whom I have already mentioned, the elder
members of Mrs. Carbury's family, and the old servants in both
houses--privileged to drink the healths of the married pair at the
lower end of the room--you will have the list of the company at the
wedding-breakfast complete.

'The weather was perfect, and the ceremony (with music) was beautifully
performed. As for the bride, no words can describe how lovely she
looked, or how well she went through it all. We were very merry at the
breakfast, and the speeches went off on the whole quite well enough.
The last speech, before the party broke up, was made by Mr. Henry
Westwick, and was the best of all. He offered a happy suggestion, at
the end, which has produced a very unexpected change in my life here.

'As well as I remember, he concluded in these words:--"On one point, we
are all agreed--we are sorry that the parting hour is near, and we
should be glad to meet again. Why should we not meet again? This is
the autumn time of the year; we are most of us leaving home for the
holidays. What do you say (if you have no engagements that will
prevent it) to joining our young married friends before the close of
their tour, and renewing the social suc