CHAPTER XXVI

.Eachliftofhiseyes,eachpartingofthethatchedlipfromtheclean-shaven,mustpreludethetendernessthatkillstheMonkandtheBeastatasingleblow.Disappointedahundredtimes,shestillhoped.Shelovedhimwithtooclearavisiontofearhiscloudiness.Whetherhedronedtrivialities,asto-day,orsprangkissesonherinthetwilight,shecouldpardonhim,shecouldrespond. “Ifthereisthisnastycurve,”shesuggested,“couldn’twewalktothechurch?Not,ofcourse,youandEviebuttherestofusmightverywellgoonfirst,andthatwouldmeanfewercarriages.” “Onecan’thaveladieswalkingthroughtheMarketSquare.TheFussellswouldn’tlikeittheywereawfullyparticularatCharles’swedding.My—she—ourpartywasanxioustowalk,andcertainlythechurchwasjustroundthecorner,andIshouldn’thavemindedbuttheColonelmadeagreatpointofit.” “Youmenshouldn’tbesochivalrous,”saidMargaretthoughtfully. “Whynot?” Sheknewwhynot,butsaidthatshedidnotknow.Hethenannouncedthat,unlessshehadanythingspecialtosay,hemustvisitthewine-cellar,andtheywentofftogetherinsearchofBurton.Thoughclumsyandalittleinconvenient,Onitonwasagenuinecountry-house.Theyclattereddownflaggedpassages,lookingintoroomafterroom,andscaringunknownmaidsfromtheperformanceofobscureduties.Thewedding-breakfastmustbeinreadinesswhentheycomebackfromchurch,andteawouldbeservedinthegarden.ThesightofsomanyagitatedandseriouspeoplemadeMargaretsmile,butshereflectedthattheywerepaidtobeserious,andenjoyedbeingagitated.HerewerethelowerwheelsofthemachinethatwastossingEvieupintonuptialglory.Alittleboyblockedtheirwaywithpig-pails.Hismindcouldnotgrasptheirgreatness,andhesaid:“Byyourleaveletmepass,please.”HenryaskedhimwhereBurtonwas.Buttheservantsweresonewthattheydidnotknowoneanother’snames.Inthestill-roomsattheband,whohadstipulatedforchampagneaspartoftheirfee,andwhowerealreadydrinkingbeer.ScentsofArabycamefromthekitchen,mingledwithcries.Margaretknewwhathadhappenedthere,forithappenedatWickhamPlace.Oneoftheweddingdisheshadboiledover,andthecookwasthrowingcedar-shavingstohidethesmell.Atlasttheycameuponthebutler.Henrygavehimthekeys,andhandedMargaretdownthecellar-stairs.Twodoorswereunlocked.She,whokeptallherwineatthebottomofthelinen-cupboard,wasastonishedatthesight.“Weshallnevergetthroughit!”shecried,andthetwomenweresuddenlydrawnintobrotherhood,andexchangedsmiles.Shefeltasifshehadagainjumpedoutofthecarwhileitwasmoving. CertainlyOnitonwouldtakesomedigesting.Itwouldbenosmallbusinesstoremainherself,andyettoassimilatesuchanestablishment.Shemustremainherself,forhissakeaswellasherown,sinceashadowywifedegradesthehusbandwhomsheaccompaniesandshemustassimilateforreasonsofcommonhonesty,sinceshehadnorighttomarryamanandmakehimuncomfortable.HeronlyallywasthepowerofHome.ThelossofWickhamPlacehadtaughthermorethanitspossession.HowardsEndhadrepeatedthelesson.Shewasdeterminedtocreatenewsanctitiesamongthesehills. Aftervisitingthewine-cellar,shedressed,andthencamethewedding,whichseemedasmallaffairwhencomparedwiththepreparationsforit.Everythingwentlikeoneo’clock.Mr.Cahillmaterialisedoutofspace,andwaswaitingforhisbrideatthechurchdoor.Noonedroppedtheringormispronouncedtheresponses,ortrodonEvie’strain,orcried.Inafewminutestheclergymenperformedtheirduty,theregisterwassigned,andtheywerebackintheircarriages,negotiatingthedangerouscurvebythelych-gate.Margaretwasconvincedthattheyhadnotbeenmarriedatall,andthattheNormanchurchhadbeenintentallthetimeonotherbusiness. Thereweremoredocumentstosignatthehouse,andthebreakfasttoeat,andthenafewmorepeopledroppedinforthegardenparty.Therehadbeenagreatmanyrefusals,andafterallitwasnotaverybigaffair—notasbigasMargaret’swouldbe.Shenotedthedishesandthestripsofredcarpet,thatoutwardlyshemightgiveHenrywhatwasproper.ButinwardlyshehopedforsomethingbetterthanthisblendofSundaychurchandfox-hunting.Ifonlysomeonehadbeenupset!Butthisweddinghadgoneoffsoparticularlywell—“quitelikeadurbar”intheopinionofLadyEdser,andshethoroughlyagreedwithher. Sothewasteddaylumberedforward,thebrideandbridegroomdroveoff,yellingwithlaughter,andforthesecondtimethesunretreatedtowardsthehillsofWales.Henry,whowasmoretiredthanheowned,cameuptoherinthecastlemeadow,and,intonesofunusualsoftness,saidthathewaspleased.Everythinghadgoneoffsowell.Shefeltthathewaspraisingher,too,andblushedcertainlyshehaddoneallshecouldwithhisintractablefriends,andhadmadeaspecialpointofkotowingtothemen.TheywerebreakingcampthiseveningonlytheWarringtonsandquietchildwouldstaythenight,andtheotherswerealreadymovingtowardsthehousetofinishtheirpacking.“Ithinkitdidgooffwell,”sheagreed.“SinceIhadtojumpoutofthemotor,I’mthankfulIlightedonmylefthand.Iamsoverygladaboutit,HenrydearIonlyhopethattheguestsatoursmaybehalfascomfortable.Youmustallrememberthatwehavenopracticalpersonamongus,exceptmyaunt,andsheisnotusedtoentertainmentsonalargescale.” “Iknow,”hesaidgravely.“Underthecircumstances,itwouldbebettertoputeverythingintothehandsofHarrodsorWhiteley’s,oreventogotosomehotel.” “Youdesireahotel?” “Yes,because—well,Imustn’tinterferewithyou.Nodoubtyouwanttobemarriedfromyouroldho