before.
Mrs. Hill, who stood by Mrs. Carruthers, wept copiously, when her
favourite daughter's turn came, and Hill senior gave her away with a
qualm, especially as the parent of Timotheus presented him as the
prodigy's son come back from the swine husks. So the last ceremony was
over. "Siccan a thing as five waddins in ae day was never heard o' in
Flanders before," said the Squire, with a sigh of relief. Of course, the
people ought all to have gone away somewhere, according to all the rules
that govern civilized marriage. Mr. Errol went to his lodgings to pack
up, and took Mr. Douglas with him. As for the rest of the married
people, they simply went on with their ordinary tasks and amusements as
if nothing personal had happened. Before these two gentlemen retired,
however, they had to take part in a dance in the coach-house, at which
old Styles played the fiddle, and the constable called out the figures,
while Mr. Pilgrim groaned in the ears of Mrs. Hill over the worldly
spirit that was sapping the foundations of spiritual life. When the
drawing-room people left the festive coach-house, the ladies divested
themselves of the day's finery, and the gentlemen retired to the office,
where Mr. Errol smoked three pipes and renewed his youth. Dr. MacPhun
told more stories, as did Messrs. Bigglethorpe and Bangs, and at last
they all became so happy, that a deputation of the Squire and the
minister was sent to produce their new relative Coristine, and make him
drink a bumper of champagne to his bride's health. As the relatives
crossed arms, and, on this improvised chair, carried the bridegroom
round the table in triumph, the Captain roared: "Pour it down his
scuppers, boys, for he's the A1 clipper; and that sly dog thought he'd
have the old man's niece, with no more fun in his calf's hide than a
basswood figure head!"

Next morning early, Messrs. Errol and Douglas appeared to claim their
brides at the Dale, and found them packed, and ready to start after
breakfast. Mrs. Thomas was left mistress of the house, with directions
to hand it over to Sylvanus and Mrs. S. Pilgrim when she wished to
return home. Timotheus and Mrs. T. Pilgrim were told to go and take
possession of Tillycot, and put in a winter of judicious clearing. Good
bye was said all round. Coristine was lifted into the second seat,
between Mrs. Carruthers and his new made wife, who looked her loveliest.
Mrs. and Mr. Errol sat by the Squire, and Mr. Bigglethorpe intrud