at
the foot of the stairs she shrank from his greeting--emotion in which he
in his simple, loyal soul saw no repugnance, but only maiden reserve to
be reverenced, as he drew her arm within his own to lead her before the
bishop; how she faltered during the whole of the marriage ceremony; how
like a woman in a trance she passed through the scenes of the wedding
breakfast and those that immediately followed it; how in her own room,
where she went to change her wedding dress for a traveling suit, and
whither her gentle old grandmother had followed her for a private
parting, she had answered the old lady's anxious question as to whether
she was "happy," first by silence and then by muttering that her heart
was too full for speech; how when the bridegroom and the bride had
taken leave of all their friends at Rockhold, and were seated
_tete-a-tete_ in their traveling carriage, bowling along the river road,
at the base of the East Ridge toward the North End railway station, when
he passed his arm around her and drew her to his heart and murmured of
his love and his joy in her ear, and pleaded for some response from her,
she had only said that her heart was too full for speech, and he in his
confiding spirit had perceived no evasion in her reply, but thought, if
her heart was full, it was with responsive love for him.

My readers will recollect the railway journey to the State capital; the
procession through the decorated streets between the crowded sidewalks
from the railway station to the town house of Mr. Rockharrt, which had
been placed at the disposal of the governor-elect for the interval
between his arrival in the State capital and his inauguration.

The committee of reception escorted them to the gates of the Rockharrt
mansion and left them at the door. There we also left them, in the
second chapter of this story--and there we return to them in this place.

CHAPTER V.

THE GREAT RENUNCIATION.

When the governor-elect and his bride entered the Rockharrt town house,
they were received by a group of obsequious servants, headed by Jason,
the butler, and Jane, the housekeeper, and among whom stood Martha,
lady's maid to the new Mrs. Rothsay.

"Will you come into the drawing room and rest, dear, before going
upstairs?" inquired Mr. Rothsay of his bride, as they stood together in
the front hall.

"No, thank you. I will go to my room. Come, Martha!" said the bride, and
she went up stairs, followed by her maid.