e dining car, which had been conveniently arranged for the
ceremony, as I had taken good care.

It was no longer a dining car; it was a hall car, if the expression is
admissible. The big table had been taken away, and replaced by a small
table which served as a desk. A few flowers bought at Tchertchen had
been arranged in the corners of the car, which was large enough to hold
nearly all who wished to be present--and those who could not get inside
could look on from the gangways.

That all the passengers might know what was going on, we had put up a
notice at the doors of the first and second-class cars, couched in the
following terms:

"Mr. Fulk Ephrinell, of the firm of Messrs. Strong, Bulbul & Co., of
New York City, has the honor to invite you to his wedding with Miss
Horatia Bluett, of the firm of Messrs. Holmes-Holme, London, which will
take place in the dining car on this the 22d of May, at nine o'clock
precisely. The Reverend Nathaniel Morse, of Boston, U.S.A., will
officiate.

"Miss Horatia Bluett, of the firm of Messrs. Holmes-Holme, of London,
has the honor to invite you to her wedding with Mr. Fulk Ephrinell, of
the firm of Messrs. Strong, Bulbul & Co., of New York City, etc., etc."

If I do not make half a dozen pars out of all this I am no newspaper
man!

Meanwhile I learn from Popof the precise spot where the ceremony will
take place.

Popof points it out on the map. It is a hundred and fifty kilometres
from Tcharkalyk station, in the middle of the desert, amid the plains
which are traversed by a little stream which flows into the Lob Nor.
For twenty leagues there is no station, and the ceremony is not likely
to be interrupted by any stoppage.

It need hardly be said that at half-past eight I and Caterna were ready
for the call.

Major Noltitz and Pan-Chao had got themselves up in all due form for
the solemnity. The major looked as serious as a surgeon who was going
to cut off a leg. The Chinaman looked as gay as a Parisian at a village
bridal.

Doctor Tio-King and Cornaro, one carrying the other, were to be at this
little festivity. The noble Venetian was a bachelor, if I am not
mistaken, but I do not think he gives any opinion on marriage, at least
I have no recollection of its being in the chapter headed "Safe and
easy means of promptly remedying the different accidents that threaten
life."

"And," added Pan-Chao, who has just quoted this Cornarian phrase, "I
suppose marriage ought to be