第205章

"Is not true love of higher price Than outward form， though fair to see？"

COLERIDGE.

{Samuel Taylor Coleridge (English poet， 1772-1834)， "Separation" lines 9-10}

HARRY had a busy autumn that year. He had two important objects in view， and within a few weeks he succeeded in accomplishing both. He was very desirous， now all difficulties were removed， that his marriage with Elinor should not be deferred any longer than was absolutely necessary.

"There cannot be the shadow of a reason， love， for waiting，" he said to her within a few days of the explanation. "Remember， it is now six years since you first promised to become my wife--since we were first engaged."

"Six years， off and on，" said Elinor smiling.

"Not really off more than a moment."

Elinor shook her head and smiled.

"No； not really off more than a very short time."

"Very well，" said Elinor archly； "but don't you think the less we say about that second year the better？ Perhaps the third and the fourth too."

"No indeed； I have been thinking it all over； and in the first place there has not been a moment in those six years when I have not loved you； though to my bitter mortification I confess， there was also a moment when I was IN LOVE with another， but it was a very short moment， and a very disagreeable one to remember. No； I wish you to look well into those six years， for I honestly think they will appear more to my credit than you are at all aware of.

I shan't be satisfied until we have talked them over again， my part at least； I don't know that you will submit to the same examination."

"Oh， you have already heard all I have to say，" she replied， blushing deeply； "I shan't allude to my part of the story again this long while."

Nevertheless， Harry soon succeeded in obtaining her consent to be married within six weeks； in fact she made but few objections to the arrangement， although she would have preferred waiting longer， on account of the recent afflictions of Jane and the Hubbards.

The important day soon arrived， and the wedding took place at Wyllys-Roof. A number of friends and relatives of both parties were collected for the occasion； Mrs. Stanley， Robert Hazlehurst and his wife， the late Mrs. George Wyllys and her new husband， or as Harry called them， Mr. and Mrs. Uncle Dozie， the Van Hornes， de Vauxes， Bernards， and others. Mary Van Alstyne was bridesmaid， and Hubert de Vaux groomsman. The ceremony which at length united our two young friends， was impressively performed by the clergyman of the parish to which the Wyllyses belonged； and it may be doubted whether there were another couple married that day， in the whole wide world， whose feelings as they took the solemn vows were more true， more honourable to their natures， than those of Harry and Elinor.

Talking of vows， it was remarked by the spectators that the groom made his promises and engagements in a more decided tone of voice， a less embarrassed manner than usual； for， strange to say， your grooms， happy men， are often awkward， miserable swains enough in appearance； though it would be uncharitable in the extreme， not to suppose them always abounding in internal felicity. There was also another observation made by several of the wedding-guests， friends of Harry， who were then at Wyllys-Roof for the first time， and it becomes our duty to record the remark， since it related to no less a person than the bride； it was observed that she was not as pretty as a bride should be.

"Mrs. Harry Hazlehurst is no beauty， certainly，" said Albert Dangler to Orlando Flyrter.

"No beauty！ She is downright ugly--I穡onder at Hazlehurst's taste！"

Unfortunately for Elinor， the days are past when benevolent fairies arrive just at the important moment， and by a tap of the wand or a phial of elixir， change the coarsest features， the most unfavourable complexion， into a dazzling image of everything most lovely， most beautiful. Nor had she the good luck of certain young ladies of whom one reads quite often， who improve so astonishingly in personal appearance between fifteen and twenty--generally during the absence of the hero--that they are not to be recognized， and a second introduction becomes necessary. No； Elinor was no nearer to being a beauty when Harry returned from Brazil， than when he went to Paris； she was just as plain on the evening of her wedding as she was six years before， when first presented to the reader's notice.

Jane， though now in widow's weeds， was just as beautiful too， as when we first saw her； she was present at her cousin's wedding， as Elinor wished her to be there， although in a deep mourning dress. Patsey Hubbard was also in the drawing-room during the ceremony， and in deep black； but she left her friends as soon as she had expressed her warmest wishes for the happiness of her former pupil： she wept as she turned from the house， for she could not yet see that well-known， cheerful circle at Wyllys-Roof， without missing one bright young face from the group.

Among those who had declined invitations to the wedding， were Mr. Ellsworth and Mrs. Creighton， although both had expressed many good wishes for the affianced couple； the gentleman wrote sincerely， but a little sadly perhaps， as it was only six weeks since his refusal； the lady wrote gracefully， but a little spitefully it is believed， since it was now generally known that Harry must recover entire possession of his fortune.