f that Charles being dead, she
had not determination sufficient within her to break tidings which,
had he been alive, would have imperatively announced themselves. And
thus with the stroke of midnight came the turning of the scale; her
story should remain untold. It was not that upon the whole she thought
it best not to attempt to tell it; but that she could not undertake so
explosive a matter. To stop the wedding now would cause a convulsion
in Giant's Town little short of volcanic. Weakened, tired, and
terrified as she had been by the day's adventures, she could not make
herself the author of such a catastrophe. But how refuse Heddegan
without telling? It really seemed to her as if her marriage with Mr
Heddegan were about to take place as if nothing had intervened.

Morning came. The events of the previous days were cut off from her
present existence by scene and sentiment more completely than ever.
Charles Stow had grown to be a special being of whom, owing to his
character, she entertained rather fearful than loving memory. Baptista
could hear when she awoke that her parents were already moving about
downstairs. But she did not rise till her mother's rather rough voice
resounded up the staircase as it had done on the preceding evening.

'Baptista! Come, time to be stirring! The man will be here, by
Heaven's blessing, in three-quarters of an hour. He has looked in
already for a minute or two--and says he's going to the church to see
if things be well forward.'

Baptista arose, looked out of the window, and took the easy course.
When she emerged from the regions above she was arrayed in her new
silk frock and best stockings, wearing a linen jacket over the former
for breakfasting, and her common slippers over the latter, not to
spoil the new ones on the rough precincts of the dwelling.

It is unnecessary to dwell at any great length on this part of the
morning's proceedings. She revealed nothing; and married Heddegan, as
she had given her word to do, on that appointed August day.

V

Mr Heddegan forgave the coldness of his bride's manner during and
after the wedding ceremony, full well aware that there had been
considerable reluctance on her part to acquiesce in this neighbourly
arrangement, and, as a philosopher of long standing, holding that
whatever Baptista's attitude now, the conditions would probably
be much the same six months hence as those which ruled among other
married couples.

An absolutely u