'"But here comes the heroine of the day—the fair bride herself! And now for the introduction! Faith, Algernon, I should not mind changing places with you a few years hence, if that face performs all that it promises." The last words were said in rather a lower tone, as Sir Harry leant his hand on the shoulder of a boy who was talking eagerly to Oliver, and who had not turned, as most of the other company had done, when mamma and I came into the room. He was obliged to do so now, however, and, with rather an embarrassed smile, came forward at his guardian's bidding, took my hand, and, murmuring a few words of greeting, reluctantly kissed my cheek. I had not the least idea of what I ought to say to him, and apparently he was in the same predicament with regard to me. Mamma was obliged to go and attend to her other guests, so I was left helpless, gazing at my future husband in dead silence for a full minute. I suppose he found this disagreeable, for he coloured intensely, and at length with a great effort managed to say, "Oliver has been showing me your ponies."
'I said, "Oh!" and then by a sudden inspiration added, "Which did you think the prettiest?"
'"Oh! Oliver's, without doubt."
'"I think Hebe the prettiest," I said with decision. Silence fell on us once more, and I really thought this time it would last for ever. Never did I feel more grateful to Sir Harry than when he brought up his little niece to me, saying he hoped we should be great friends and see a good deal of each other.
'Agnes Blount set us at our ease directly. She was not at all shy; she found it possible to smile and answer prettily when my father politely hoped that she had recovered from the fatigues of her arduous journey. She told us all about the adventures she and her companions had met with the day before, appealing to Lord Desmond to confirm her accounts of the dreadful danger they were in from highwaymen, the darkness of Boarhurst woods, and the horrible state of the roads, until she set him talking as unrestrainedly as any of us. She won Oliver's heart by saying she was fond of rabbits, and mine by the interest she showed in hearing about the bridal preparations. The great banquet which had been preparing for so many days I described minutely, as indeed I was well qualified to do; for Miles and I had cried over the slaughter which had taken place in my mother's poultry-yard, and had only been comforted by watching the troops of red-armed cooks and scullions as they rushed hither and thither in endless bustle; while huge pasties, delicate cakes, mince-pies, and good things of all sorts, multiplied under their hands as if by magic. I whispered that the wassail bowl was to be thrice as large as usual, in my honour; and, finally, I imparted the important intelligence, that at the dance which was to conclude the day's festivities I was to appear in my bridal attire and open the ball. I don't think I had a very clear idea of how I was to manage this operation; but on that point Agnes managed to enlighten me, without showing any unfeeling superiority over my ignorance. She could do everything, I gradually discovered; at least a great many things that I could not, and which, therefore, I looked upon with respectful admiration. Sir Harry made her sing to us, in the afternoon, a dainty little song, with a harp accompaniment, which charmed everybody; and the graceful way in which she glided through the mazes of a minuet with one of our guests so delighted my father, that he paid her a formal and elaborate compliment on the elegance of her dancing. I remember being very much surprised at the time, to see him take so much notice of a little girl; but I found out afterwards why he took such an interest in Agnes Blount's accomplishments. Well, but I am getting on too fast. Of course you want to know all about my wedding, from the smoothing of the last crease in my voluminous satin train (the care of which was a source of dreadful anxiety to Agnes and her fellow bridesmaids) to the moment when Lord Desmond put upon my finger the tiniest gold wedding-ring in the world. It is a most bewildering scene to look back upon, even after all these years; and at the time I was so confused by what I had to do, so encumbered by the grandeur of my apparel, that I had but vague and indistinct ideas of what was going on around me. I remember the lines of eager faces which startled me when I stepped out of the coach at the churchyard gate. I recollect experiencing a sort of shock on seeing that the familiar path up to the church porch was covered with crimson cloth; but I think what struck me most of all with a sense of the solemnity of the occasion, was that Master Waynefleet whose thin locks I had contemplated for many a Sunday, combed back and tied with a piece of ribbon, was on this day resplendent in a curled and flowing wig, and wore a surplice literally crackling with starch. I believe I clung to my father's hand in a most undignified manner as he led me up the aisle. I have a vision of a rainbow-coloured crowd of people on either side of the altar; of mamma, a shade paler than usual, but trying to smile, in order to reassure me; of Oliver, in difficulties with his sword (which was only worn on state occasions, and was a source of mingled pride and embarrassment to its owner); of Roger, in the background, struggling desperately with nurse, in order to attain a lofty post of observation on the tomb of a crusading Dalrymple. But beyond this I saw nothing, and can only repeat what nurse told me afterwards, that "it was a gallant show, and did her old eyes good to look at it. I'd have gone ten miles barefoot any day to see you in all your bravery, Mistress Francis, dear, and that sweet young gentleman, my Lord Desmond, a-holding your hand so prettily, and your mamma, and all the grand ladies shedding tears for joy, as indeed it was most befitting they should."
'Nurse's praises and congratulations were the forerunners of a great many more to which I had to listen that day. At first I liked them, and thought it grand to be complimented on the "way in which I had borne myself on such a trying occasion;" but at last I grew very tired of hearing the same thing over and over again. The stiff, set speeches which people vied with each other in making, the perpetual allusions to my "tender years," and the hopes "that the union which had commenced under such propitious circumstances might hereafter be a source of great happiness to me, and of satisfaction to my parents," were very tiresome; and to all this I had to reply, as mamma had carefully impressed on me beforehand, "Madam, you do me much honour," or, "I thank you, sir, for your good wishes," while I made a profound courtsey to the lady or gentleman who addressed me. Things were not much better at the long, formal, wearisome entertainment which ensued, and which I thought never would be over. People made speeches and proposed toasts with every glass of wine they drank, and some of them drank a great many—so many that at last it was not quite easy to make out whose health they did propose; and when this point was settled, others seemed affronted at the toasts they had chosen.
'I thought it all very uninteresting, after the health of Lord and Lady Desmond had been drunk, and did not listen to what was going on. I only know that the noise got louder and louder; so that, by the time it was considered fitting that the ladies should retire to the withdrawing-room, the clamour was so great that it was almost impossible to distinguish what any one said. The last thing I saw, as we left the room, was Sir Harry Mountfort standing up, flushed and excited, holding a bumper of wine in one hand, while he brought down the other clenched fist with violence on the table, and called upon all present to fill their glasses and drink to the health of the Duke of York, the true heir to the throne.
'"What were they quarrelling about?" I asked Agnes Blount when the uproar had died away in the distance, and we had found a quiet corner to ourselves at the end of the long drawing-room.
'"Oh, politics, of course," she replied. "We always know at home, whenever the gentlemen get very much excited over their wine, and all speak at once, and don't seem to listen at all to what other people are saying, that they are talking about politics."
'"Well, but what are politics?" said I. "We don't ever hear anything about them here."