rry shuffled up to Ripton, and removed the shawl from him, saying:
"Do he look like a new married bridegroom, Mr. Harley?"

Adrian inspected the oblivious Ripton with philosophic gravity.

"This young gentleman was at church this morning?" he asked.

"Oh! quite reasonable and proper then," Mrs. Berry begged him to
understand.

"Of course, ma'am." Adrian lifted and let fall the stupid inanimate limbs
of the gone wretch, puckering his mouth queerly. "You were all reasonable
and proper, ma'am. The principal male performer, then, is my cousin, Mr.
Feverel? He was married by you, this morning, by licence at your parish
church, and came here, and ate a hearty breakfast, and left intoxicated."

Mrs. Berry flew out. "He never drink a drop, sir. A more moderate young
gentleman you never see. Oh! don't ye think that now, Mr. Harley. He was
as upright and master of his mind as you be."

"Ay!" the wise youth nodded thanks to her for the comparison, "I mean the
other form of intoxication."

Mrs. Berry sighed. She could say nothing on that score.

Adrian desired her to sit down, and compose herself, and tell him
circumstantially what had been done.

She obeyed, in utter perplexity at his perfectly composed demeanour.

Mrs. Berry, as her recital declared, was no other than that identical
woman who once in old days had dared to behold the baronet behind his
mask, and had ever since lived in exile from the Raynham world on a
little pension regularly paid to her as an indemnity. She was that woman,
and the thought of it made her almost accuse Providence for the betraying
excess of softness it had endowed her with. How was she to recognize her
baby grown a man? He came in a feigned name; not a word of the family was
mentioned. He came like an ordinary mortal, though she felt something
more than ordinary to him--she knew she did. He came bringing a beautiful
young lady, and on what grounds could she turn her back on them? Why,
seeing that all was chaste and legal, why should she interfere to make
them unhappy--so few the chances of happiness in this world! Mrs. Berry
related the seizure of her ring.

"One wrench," said the sobbing culprit, "one, and my ring was off!"

She had no suspicions, and the task of writing her name in the
vestry-book had been too enacting for a thought upon the other
signatures.

"I daresay you were exceedingly sorry for what you had done," said
Adrian.

"Indeed, sir," moaned Berry, "I were, and am.