.

"Oh no, sir," replied Lady Emily, blushing deeply; "we are not the
parties."

"Because," proceeded the Doctor, "I think I could not do better than
give you, while together, a few words--just a little homily, as it
were--upon the nature of the duties into which you are about to enter."

"Oh, but I have told you," replied Lady Emily, again, "that we are not
the parties, Dr. Sombre."

"Never mind her, Doctor," said Roberts--assuming, with becoming gravity,
the character of the intended husband: "the Doctor, my dear, knows human
nature too well not to make allowances for the timidity peculiar to your
situation. Come, my, love be firm, and let us hear what he has to say."

"Yes," replied the Doctor, "I can understand that; I knew I was right:
and all you want now is the ceremony to make you man and wife."

"Indisputable, Doctor; nothing can be more true. These words might
almost appear as an appendix to the Gospel."

"Well, my children," proceeded the Doctor, "listen--marriage may be
divided--"

"I thought it was rather a union, Doctor."

"So it is, child," replied the Doctor, in the most matter-of-fact
spirit; "but you know that even Unions can be divided. When I was
induced to the Union of Ballycomeasy and Ballycomsharp I--"

"But, Doctor," said Roberts, "I beg your pardon, I have interrupted you.
Will you have the kindness to proceed? my fair partner, here, is very
anxious to hear your little homily--are you not, my love?"

Lady Emily was certainly pressed rather severely to maintain her
gravity--in fact, so much so, that she was unable to reply, Robert's
composure being admirable.

"Well," resumed the Doctor, "as I was saying--Marriage may be divided
into three heads--"

"For heaven's sake, make it only two, if possible, my dear Doctor,"
said Roberts: "the appearance of a third head is rather uncomfortable, I
think."

--"Into three heads--first, its duties; next, its rights; and lastly,
its tribulations."

The Doctor, we may observe, was in general very unlucky, in the
reception which fell to the share of his little homily--the fact being
with it as with its subject in actual life, that his audience, however
they might feel upon its rights and duties, were very anxious to avoid
its tribulations in any sense, and the consequence was, that in nineteen
cases out of twenty the reverend bachelor himself was left in the midst
of them. Such was his fate here; for at this moment Sir Thomas Gourlay
entered