pointment arrived, the bridegroom,
accompanied by his father-in-law, hastened to the place of rendezvous,
which was the vestry-room of the church we have already described; where
they were received by the good clergyman in his canonicals; and here they
had not waited many minutes, when they were joined by Madam Clement and
the amiable bride, escorted by the friendly physician, who had all along
borne such a share in their concerns. Serafina was dressed in a sack of
white satin, and the ornaments of her head were adjusted in the Spanish
fashion, which gave a peculiar air to her appearance, and an additional
spirit to those attractions which engaged the heart of each beholder.
There was nothing remarkable in the habit of Renaldo, who had copied the
plainness and elegance of his mistress; but, when she entered the place,
his features were animated with a double proportion of vivacity, and
their eyes meeting, seemed to kindle a blaze which diffused warmth and
joy through the countenances of all present.

After a short pause, her father led her to the altar, and gave her away
to the transported Renaldo, before the priest who performed the ceremony,
and bestowed the nuptial benediction on this enraptured pair. The
sanction of the church being thus obtained, they withdrew into the
vestry, where Melvil sealed his title on her rosy lips, and presented his
wife to the company, who embraced her in their turns, with fervent wishes
for their mutual happiness.

Though the scene of this transaction was remote from any inhabited
neighbourhood, the church was surrounded by a crowd of people, who, with
uncommon demonstration of surprise and admiration, petitioned Heaven to
bless so fair a couple. Such indeed was their eagerness to see them,
that some lives were endangered by the pressure of the crowd, which
attended them with loud acclamations to the coach, after the bridegroom
had deposited in the hands of the minister one hundred pounds for the
benefit of the poor of that parish, and thrown several handfuls of
money among the multitude. Serafina re-embarked in Madam Clement's
convenience, with that good lady and Don Diego, while Renaldo, with
the clergyman and doctor, followed in Joshua's coach, to a pleasant
country-house upon the Thames, at a distance of a few miles from London.
This the Jew had borrowed from the owner for a few days, and there they
were received by that honest Hebrew, who had provided a very elegant
entertainme