“Anglesea paid him a munificent fee, for which the old man gave him thanks.
“‘And a marriage certificate, if you please, reverend sir. I am acting on the part of this young lady’s absent friends, and I must omit no necessary formality,’ said Anglesea.
“The demand was unusual; the certificate was considered unnecessary. The old minister told us so, and added that he had no printed form and never had had any.
“‘Then we will take a written form. Just write that on this day, in this place, you have united in marriage, Luigi Saviola, of Naples, Italy, and Elfrida Glennon, of Northumberland, England. Sign it yourself, as the minister, and allow me to sign it as a witness. It would also be better, too, if you could call in some member of your family to sign as a second witness. I think I have seen the young woman who let us in peeping through the door through the whole performance. Please call her as a second witness.’
“The old man sighed and sat down to the table where his stationery lay, and wrote out the certificate.
“Anglesea read it critically, expressed himself satisfied, affixed his signature as witness, and then put the pen in the hand of the maid, who had been called in for the purpose, and who now scrawled her name under that of Anglesea.
“And it was finished.”
CHAPTER XXIX
AFTER THE MARRIAGE
“We took leave of the old minister, who shook hands warmly with us at parting, repeating his benediction.
“We returned to the hotel, where Anglesea paid the bill and reclaimed our bags.