, administering them by
turns to the fainting bride. I dragged her all the way by main strength,
supported her through the service, and was very near giving her away by
mistake, for there was no one else to do it but old Brand. He and I are
the witnesses in the register. I received her hysterical farewells, and
Harrison's elegant acknowledgments; saw them into their fly, and
came home, trusting to Providence that I could inform my aunt without
bringing on a fit.'

'After surviving the news of your engagement she may bear anything.'

'Ah! there she takes refuge in incredulity. Now this was a fact. So
there was nothing for it but to take a high tone. I gave the history,
and told my own share; then, in the style of Richard II, when Wat Tyler
was killed, declared I would be her companion; and, after some bandying
of words, we settled down peaceably.'

'One thing amazes me. How did you get Wingfield to do it? I had plague
enough with the old parson at Wrangerton, and I should have thought
Wingfield harder to manage.'

'They had no consent to ask--no one could forbid the banns. He soon
saw the rights of it,' said Theodora, unable to prevent herself from
blushing.

'You talked him over, eh?'

'Arthur, you are looking at me as if you wanted to put me out of
countenance. Well, you shall hear the truth; it is safe with you, and no
one else knows it. It is my chief reason for wishing to go to London.'

'Ah ha!'

'Yes, you were right in warning me. He must needs think I worked in the
parish for his sake; and one fine day, as I was walking home, he joined
company, and before I knew where I was he was making me an offer.'

'And learnt what disdain means, if he did not know before.'

'No,' said Theodora, gravely, and blushing deeply. 'I recollected your
warning, and saw that if there had not been something like encouragement
he would not have forgotten the distance between us. This wedding has
occasioned conferences; besides, Percy was exacting at Christmas, and I
had rather tried to tease him. I thought, living close by, Mr. Wingfield
must have known the state of the case, and that I need not be on my
guard; so that, having so far taken him in, I thought it right to tell
him I was afraid he had not been fairly used, for I had trusted to his
knowing I was engaged. So we parted amicably; but it is a great bore,
for he is much more cut up than I expected, poor man. He went from home
the next Monday, and is but just come back