There was an indistinct murmur which she did not catch. The parson seemed to be speaking to Pete—
“—love her, comfort her, honour and keep her... so long as ye both shall live.”
And then came Pete's voice, full and strong from his great chest, but far off, and going by her ear like a voice in a shell—“I will.”
After that the parson's words seemed to be falling on her face.
“Wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou obey him and serve him, love, honour, and keep him in sickness and in health; and forsaking all other, keep thee unto him, so long as ye both shall live?”
Kate was far away. She was spelling out the Manx text, “Bannet T'eshyn Ta Cheet,” but the letters were dancing in and out of each other, and yellow lights were darting from her eyes. Suddenly she was aware that the parson's voice had stopped. There was blank silence, then an uneasy rustle, and then somebody was saying something in a soft tone.
“Eh?” she said aloud.
The parson's voice came now in a whisper at her breast—“Say, 'I will.'”
“Ah I,” she murmured.
“I-will! That's all, my dear. Say it with me, 'I—will.'”