sung wofully out of
tune as the song proceeded; and if he had not been too intoxicated with
love and other excitement, he would have remarked how the pictures on
the wall, as the lady sung, began to waggle their heads too, and nod
and grin to the music. The song ended. "I am the lady of high lineage:
Archer, will you be the peasant page?"

"I'll follow you to the devil!" said Wolfgang.

"Come," replied the lady, glaring wildly on him, "come to the chapel;
we'll be married this minute!"

She held out her hand--Wolfgang took it. It was cold, damp,--deadly
cold; and on they went to the chapel.

As they passed out, the two pictures over the wall, of a gentleman and
lady, tripped lightly out of their frames, skipped noiselessly down to
the ground, and making the retreating couple a profound curtsy and bow,
took the places which they had left at the table.

Meanwhile the young couple passed on towards the chapel, threading
innumerable passages, and passing through chambers of great extent.
As they came along, all the portraits on the wall stepped out of their
frames to follow them. One ancestor, of whom there was only a bust,
frowned in the greatest rage, because, having no legs, his pedestal
would not move; and several sticking-plaster profiles of the former
Lords of Windeck looked quite black at being, for similar reasons,
compelled to keep their places. However, there was a goodly procession
formed behind Wolfgang and his bride; and by the time they reached the
church, they had near a hundred followers.

The church was splendidly illuminated; the old banners of the old
knights glittered as they do at Drury Lane. The organ set up of itself
to play the "Bridesmaid's Chorus." The choir-chairs were filled with
people in black.

"Come, love," said the pale lady.

"I don't see the parson," exclaimed Wolfgang, spite of himself rather
alarmed.

"Oh, the parson! that's the easiest thing in the world! I say, bishop!"
said the lady, stooping down.

Stooping down--and to what? Why, upon my word and honor, to a great
brass plate on the floor, over which they were passing, and on which
was engraven the figure of a bishop--and a very ugly bishop, too--with
crosier and mitre, and lifted finger, on which sparkled the episcopal
ring. "Do, my dear lord, come and marry us," said the lady, with a
levity which shocked the feelings of her bridegroom.

The bishop got up; and directly he rose, a dean, who was sleeping under
a large