ining-room.
Either the storm ceased for a time, or in my great agitation it seemed
to do so, for I did not hear it.

"We have heard a great deal about the marriage we have celebrated
to-day, but have we not forgotten something? What _is_ marriage? Is it
the execution of a contract? Is it the signing of a register? Is it even
the taking of an oath before an altar? No. Marriage is the sacred
covenant which two souls make with each other, the woman with the man,
the man with the woman, when she chooses him from all other men, when he
chooses her from all other women, to belong to each other for ever, so
that no misfortune, no storm of life, no sin on either side shall ever
put them apart. That's what marriage is, and all we have been doing
to-day is to call on God and man to bear witness to that holy bond."

My heart was beating high. I raised my head, and I think my eyes must
have been shining. I looked across at the Bishop. His face was showing
signs of vexation.

"Mr. O'Neill, sir," cried Father Dan, raising his trembling voice, "you
say your daughter has a big fortune and her husband has a big name, and
what more do they want in this world? I'll tell you what they want, sir.
They want love, love on both sides, if they are to be good and happy,
and if they've got that they've got something which neither wealth nor
rank can buy."

I had dropped my head again, but under my eyelashes I could see that the
company were sitting spell-bound. Only my husband was shuffling in his
seat, and the Bishop was plucking at his gold chain.

"My Bishop," said Father Dan, "has told us of the submission a wife owes
to her husband, and of her duty to be lovely and wise and faithful in
his eyes. But isn't it the answering thought that the husband on his
part owes something to the wife? Aren't we told that he shall put away
everything and everybody for her sake, and cleave to her and cling to
her and they shall be one flesh? Isn't that, too, a divine commandment?"

My heart was throbbing so loud by this time that the next words were
lost to me. When I came to myself again Father Dan was saying:

"Think what marriage means to a woman--a young girl especially. It means
the breaking of old ties, the beginning of a new life, the setting out
into an unknown world on a voyage from which there can be no return. In
her weakness and her helplessness she leaves one dependency for another,
the shelter of a father for the shelter of a husband. Wha