as he placed
the small golden circle on the finger of his future Countess.

The ceremony was not a long, but an impressive one. The bridal anthem
was beautifully rendered by the choristers, accompanied by the clear,
full, deep tones of the grand old organ. As the clock in the square
tower was striking twelve the whole party left the Abbey, and were
driven to the Earl's mansion in Saint James' Square, where a luxurious
repast was prepared for them, to which ample justice was done. At two,
the Earl and Countess stepped into their traveling carriage and were
whirled off to Brighton, from which point they were to start on their
bridal tour through Continental Europe.

The Bartons and Cotterells left town a few days later for their homes in
Devonshire, where they hoped to be comfortably settled ere the honeymoon
of the happy couple should have terminated, as it was the desire of all
concerned to give them an enthusiastic welcome on their return, and
arrangements and preparations were at once entered upon to make the
occasion one of general rejoicing and festivity, and a general holiday
to all in and around Vellenaux.

CHAPTER XX.

The city of Madras, the seat of Government and Capital of the Presidency
of that name, although not possessing all the facilities for an
agreeable sojourn to the lover of pleasure and amusement that may be
found at the capitals of the sister Presidencies--Bengal and Bombay--it
having neither the healthy climate of the one, or the wealth of the
other. Yet there are times and seasons when Madras is very enjoyable:
just after the south-west monsoons, when all nature is clothed in
verdant beauty, and a delightful coolness pervades the air, the
Neilgerie Hills cannot be surpassed by those of Mahableshwa or any other
sanitary station in India, even the Capital itself, whose shores are
washed by the boiling surf from over the triple reefs of rocks during
the rainy season; but that time being past, a more tranquil state of
things pervades the ocean, and cool sea breezes waft over the city. At
the time of which I am writing, Madras was more than usually gay,
several vessels of war were in port and a number of crack corps had
arrived from Europe and elsewhere, officered by a set of men whose
fathers and great-grandfathers before them had served their country
either in the army or navy; they served not for pay but for honor, and
to uphold the high and honourable name bequeathed them by their
ance