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as sure as you cry Amen！'
'Well； it isn't all。 When I got home last night my wife said； 〃Miss
Adelaide took a holiday this mornen；〃 says she （my wife； that is）；
〃walked over to Nether Mynton； met the comen man； and got married！〃
says she。'
'Got married！ what； Lord…a…mercy； did Springrove come？'
'Springrove； nonoSpringrove's nothen to do wi' it'twas Farmer
Bollens。 They've been playing bo…peep for these two or three months
seemingly。 Whilst Master Teddy Springrove has been daddlen； and
hawken； and spetten about having her； she's quietly left him all
forsook。 Serve him right。 I don't blame the little woman a bit。'
'Farmer Bollens is old enough to be her father！'
'Ay； quite； and rich enough to be ten fathers。 They say he's so
rich that he has business in every bank； and measures his money in
half…pint cups。'
'Lord； I wish it was me； don't I wish 'twas me！' said the scullery…
maid。
'Yes； 'twas as neat a bit of stitching as ever I heard of；'
continued the clerk； with a fixed eye； as if he were watching the
process from a distance。 'Not a soul knew anything about it； and my
wife is the only one in our parish who knows it yet。 Miss Hinton
came back from the wedden； went to Mr。 Manston； puffed herself out
large； and said she was Mrs。 Bollens； but that if he wished； she had
no objection to keep on the house till the regular time of giving
notice had expired； or till he could get another tenant。'
'Just like her independence；' said the cook。
'Well； independent or no； she's Mrs。 Bollens now。 Ah； I shall never
forget once when I went by Farmer Bollens's gardenyears ago now
years； when he was taking up ashleaf taties。 A merry feller I was
at that time； a very merry fellerfor 'twas before I took holy
orders； and it didn't prick my conscience as 'twould now。 〃Farmer；〃
says I； 〃little taties seem to turn out small this year； don't em？〃
〃O no； Crickett；〃 says he； 〃some be fair…sized。〃 He's a dull man
Farmer Bollens ishe always was。 However； that's neither here nor
there； he's a…married to a sharp woman； and if I don't make a
mistake she'll bring him a pretty good family； gie her time。'
'Well； it don't matter； there's a Providence in it；' said the
scullery…maid。 'God A'mighty always sends bread as well as
children。'
'But 'tis the bread to one house and the children to another very
often。 However； I think I can see my lady Hinton's reason for
chosen yesterday to sickness…or…health…it。 Your young miss； and
that one； had crossed one another's path in regard to young Master
Springrove； and I expect that when Addy Hinton found Miss Graye
wasn't caren to have en； she thought she'd be beforehand with her
old enemy in marrying somebody else too。 That's maids' logic all
over； and maids' malice likewise。'
Women who are bad enough to divide against themselves under a man's
partiality are good enough to instantly unite in a common cause
against his attack。 'I'll just tell you one thing then；' said the
cook； shaking out her words to the time of a whisk she was beating
eggs with。 'Whatever maids' logic is and maids' malice too； if
Cytherea Graye even now knows that young Springrove is free again；
she'll fling over the steward as soon as look at him。'
'No； no： not now；' the coachman broke in like a moderator。
'There's honour in that maid； if ever there was in one。 No Miss
Hinton's tricks in her。 She'll stick to Manston。'
'Pifh！'
'Don't let a word be said till the wedden is over； for Heaven's
sake；' the clerk continued。 'Miss Aldclyffe would fairly hang and
quarter me； if my news broke off that there wedden at a last minute
like this。'
'Then you had better get your wife to bolt you in the closet for an
hour or two； for you'll chatter it yourself to the whole boiling
parish if she don't！ 'Tis a poor womanly feller！'
'You shouldn't ha' begun it； clerk。 I knew how 'twould be；' said
the gardener soothingly； in a whisper to the clerk's mangled
remains。
The clerk turned and smiled at the fire； and warmed his other hand。
3。 NOON
The weather gave way。 In half…an…hour there began a rapid thaw。 By
ten o'clock the roads； though still dangerous； were practicable to
the extent of the half…mile required by the people of Knapwater
Park。 One mass of heavy leaden cloud spread over the whole sky； the
air began to feel damp and mild out of doors； though still cold and
frosty within。
They reached the church and passed up the nave； the deep…coloured
glass of the narrow windows rendering the gloom of the morning
almost night itself inside the building。 Then the ceremony began。
The only warmth or spirit imported into it came from the bridegroom；
who retained a vigorouseven Spenserianbridal…mood throughout the
morning。
Cytherea was as firm as he at this critical moment； but as cold as
the air surrounding her。 The few persons forming the wedding…party
were constrained in movement and tone； and from the nave of the
church came occasional coughs； emitted by those who； in spite of the
weather； had assembled to see the termination of Cytherea's
existence as a single woman。 Many poor people loved her。 They
pitied her success； why； they could not tell； except that it was
because she seemed to stand more like a statue than Cytherea Graye。
Yet she was prettily and carefully dressed； a strange contradiction
in a man's idea of thingsa saddening； perplexing contradiction。
Are there any points in which a difference of sex amounts to a
difference of nature？ Then this is surely one。 Not so much； as it
is commonly put； in regard to the amount of consideration given； but
in the conception of the thing considered。 A man emasculated by
coxcombry may spend more time upon the arrangement of his clothes
than any woman； but even then there is no fetichism in his idea of
themthey are still only a covering he uses for a time。 But here
was Cytherea； in the bottom of her heart almost indifferent to life；
yet possessing an instinct with which her heart had nothing to do；
the instinct to be particularly regardful of those sorry trifles；
her robe； her flowers； her veil； and her gloves。
The irrevocable words were soon spokenthe indelible writing soon
writtenand they came out of the vestry。 Candles had been
necessary here to enable them to sign their names； and on their
return to the church the light from the candles streamed from the
small open door； and across the chancel to a black chestnut screen
on the south side； dividing it from a small chapel or chantry；
erected for the soul's peace of some Aldclyffe of the past。 Through
the open…work of this screen could now be seen illuminated； inside
the chantry； the reclining figures of cross…legged knights； damp and
green with age； and above them a huge classic monument； also
inscribed to the Aldclyffe family； heavily sculptured in cadaverous
marble。
Leaning herealmost hanging to the monumentwas Edward Springrove；
or his spirit。
The weak daylight would never have revealed him； shaded as he was by
the screen； but the unexpected rays of candle…light in the front
showed him forth in startling relief to any and all of those whose
eyes wandered in that direction。 The sig