contented with these democratic nuptials--"After all, she is so
absolutely nobody; absolutely, absolutely," she said confidentially
to Augusta, shaking her head. But before Lady Amelia had left
Greshamsbury, Augusta was quite at a loss to understand how there
could be need for so much conversation between her cousin and Mr
Mortimer Gazebee.
And there were many more de Courcys, whom to enumerate would be much
too long.
And the bishop of the diocese, and Mrs Proudie were there. A hint
had even been given, that his lordship would himself condescend to
perform the ceremony, if this should be wished; but that work had
already been anticipated by a very old friend of the Greshams.
Archdeacon Grantly, the rector of Plumstead Episcopi, had long since
undertaken this part of the business; and the knot was eventually
tied by the joint efforts of himself and Mr Oriel. Mrs Grantly came
with him, and so did Mrs Grantly's sister, the new dean's wife. The
dean himself was at the time unfortunately absent at Oxford.
And all the Bakers and the Jacksons were there. The last time they
had all met together under the squire's roof, was on the occasion of
Frank's coming of age. The present gala doings were carried on a very
different spirit. That had been a very poor affair, but this was
worthy of the best days of Greshamsbury.
Occasion also had been taken of this happy moment to make up, or
rather to get rid of the last shreds of the last feud that had so
long separated Dr Thorne from his own relatives. The Thornes of
Ullathorne had made many overtures in a covert way. But our doctor
had contrived to reject them. "They would not receive Mary as their
cousin," said he, "and I will go nowhere that she cannot go." But now
all this was altered. Mrs Gresham would certainly be received in any
house in the county. And thus, Mr Thorne of Ullathorne, an amiable,
popular old bachelor, came to the wedding; and so did his maiden
sister, Miss Monica Thorne, than whose no kinder heart glowed through
all Barsetshire.
"My dear," said she to Mary, kissing her, and offering her some
little tribute, "I am very glad to make your acquaintance; very. It
was not her fault," she added, speaking to herself. "And now that
she will be a Gresham, that need not be any longer be thought of."
Nevertheless, could Miss Thorne have spoken her inward thoughts out
loud, she would have declared, that Frank would have done better to
have borne his poverty than marry
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