s. The bridal party was worth seeing,
and half Pennicote turned out to see it, lining the pathway up to the
church. An old friend of the rector's performed the marriage ceremony,
the rector himself acting as father, to the great advantage of the
procession. Only two faces, it was remarked, showed signs of
sadness--Mrs. Davilow's and Anna's. The mother's delicate eyelids were
pink, as if she had been crying half the night; and no one was
surprised that, splendid as the match was, she should feel the parting
from a daughter who was the flower of her children and of her own life.
It was less understood why Anna should be troubled when she was being
so well set off by the bridesmaid's dress. Every one else seemed to
reflect the brilliancy of the occasion--the bride most of all. Of her
it was agreed that as to figure and carriage she was worthy to be a
"lady o' title": as to face, perhaps it might be thought that a title
required something more rosy; but the bridegroom himself not being
fresh-colored--being indeed, as the miller's wife observed, very much
of her own husband's complexion--the match was the more complete.
Anyhow he must be very fond of her; and it was to be hoped that he
would never cast it up to her that she had been going out to service as
a governess, and her mother to live at Sawyer's Cottage--vicissitudes
which had been much spoken of in the village. The miller's daughter of
fourteen could not believe that high gentry behaved badly to their
wives, but her mother instructed her--"Oh, child, men's men: gentle or
simple, they're much of a muchness. I've heard my mother say Squire
Pelton used to take his dogs and a long whip into his wife's room, and
flog 'em there to frighten her; and my mother was lady's-maid there at
the very time."

"That's unlucky talk for a wedding, Mrs. Girdle," said the tailor. "A
quarrel may end wi' the whip, but it begins wi' the tongue, and it's
the women have got the most o' that."

"The Lord gave it 'em to use, I suppose," said Mrs. Girdle. "_He_ never
meant you to have it all your own way."

"By what I can make out from the gentleman as attends to the grooming
at Offendene," said the tailor, "this Mr. Grandcourt has wonderful
little tongue. Everything must be done dummy-like without his ordering."

"Then he's the more whip, I doubt," said Mrs. Girdle. "_She's_ got
tongue enough, I warrant her. See, there they come out together!"

"What wonderful long corners she's got to he