ran in among them, demanding, with breathless eagerness, had the ceremony
long commenced? They only gaped and stared. In my desperation, I pushed
past them, and was about to enter the churchyard gate, when a group of
ragged urchins, that had been hanging like bees to the window, suddenly
dropped off and made a rush for the porch, vociferating in the uncouth
dialect of their country something which signified, 'It's over--they're
coming out!'

If Eliza Millward had seen me then she might indeed have been delighted.
I grasped the gate-post for support, and stood intently gazing towards
the door to take my last look on my soul's delight, my first on that
detested mortal who had torn her from my heart, and doomed her, I was
certain, to a life of misery and hollow, vain repining--for what
happiness could she enjoy with him? I did not wish to shock her with my
presence now, but I had not power to move away. Forth came the bride and
bridegroom. Him I saw not; I had eyes for none but her. A long veil
shrouded half her graceful form, but did not hide it; I could see that
while she carried her head erect, her eyes were bent upon the ground, and
her face and neck were suffused with a crimson blush; but every feature
was radiant with smiles, and gleaming through the misty whiteness of her
veil were clusters of golden ringlets! Oh, heavens! it was not my Helen!
The first glimpse made me start--but my eyes were darkened with
exhaustion and despair. Dare I trust them? 'Yes--it is not she! It was
a younger, slighter, rosier beauty--lovely indeed, but with far less
dignity and depth of soul--without that indefinable grace, that keenly
spiritual yet gentle charm, that ineffable power to attract and subjugate
the heart--my heart at least. I looked at the bridegroom--it was
Frederick Lawrence! I wiped away the cold drops that were trickling down
my forehead, and stepped back as he approached; but, his eyes fell upon
me, and he knew me, altered as my appearance must have been.

'Is that you, Markham?' said he, startled and confounded at the
apparition--perhaps, too, at the wildness of my looks.

'Yes, Lawrence; is that you?' I mustered the presence of mind to reply.

He smiled and coloured, as if half-proud and half-ashamed of his
identity; and if he had reason to be proud of the sweet lady on his arm,
he had no less cause to be ashamed of having concealed his good fortune
so long.

'Allow me to introduce you to my bride,' s