is! If I die of shame, I must go forward and own myself."

The hand of Mademoiselle de Willading was laid upon his arm, and he
yielded to this silent but impressive entreaty, for just then he saw that
his sister was about to be relieved from her distressing solitude. The
throng yielded, and a decent pair, attired in the guise of small but
comfortable proprietors, moved doubtingly towards the bride. The eyes of
Christine filled with tears, for terror and the apprehension of disgrace
yielded suddenly to joy. Those who advanced to support her in that moment
of intense trial were her father and mother. The respectable-looking pair
moved slowly to the side of their daughter, and, having placed themselves
one on each side of her, they first ventured to cast furtive and subdued
glances at the multitude.

"It is doubtless painful to the parents to part with so fair and so
dutiful a child," resumed the obtuse Peterchen, who rarely saw in any
emotion more than its most common-place and vulgar character; "Nature
pulls them one way, while the terms of the contract and the progress of
our ceremonies pull another. I have often weaknesses of this sort myself,
the most sensitive hearts being the most liable to these attacks. But my
children are the public, and do riot admit of too much of what I may call
the detail of sentiment, else, by the soul of Calvin! were I but an
indifferent bailiff for Berne!--Thou art the father of this fair and
blushing maiden, and thou her mother?"

"We are these," returned Balthazar mildly.

"Thou art not of Vevey, or its neighborhood, by thy speech?"

"Of the great canton, mein Herr;" for the answer was in German, these
contracted districts possessing nearly as many dialects as there are
territorial divisions. "We are strangers in Vaud."

"Thou hast not done the worse for marrying thy daughter with a Vevaisan,
and, more especially, under the favor of our renowned and liberal Abbaye.
I warrant me thy child will be none the poorer for this compliance with
the wishes of those who lead our ceremonies!"

"She will not go portionless to the house of her husband," returned the
father, coloring with secret pride; for to one to whom the chances of life
left so few sources of satisfaction, those that were possessed became
doubly dear.

"This is well! A right worthy couple! And I doubt not, a meet companion
will your offspring prove. Monsieur le Notaire, call off the names of
those good people aloud, that th