a good quarrel
is an easy death, they say, though I could never hear of any that came
back to say so."

And so saying, the stout old rascal leaned back in his stall, folded his
arms, and began to look about him with the greatest air of insolence and
unconcern.

"And for the matter of that," Dick added, "it is yet our best chance to
keep quiet. We wot not yet what Duckworth purposes; and when all is
said, and if the worst befall, we may yet clear our feet of it."

Now that they ceased talking, they were aware of a very distant and thin
strain of mirthful music which steadily grew nearer, louder and merrier.
The bells in the tower began to break forth into a doubling peal, and a
greater and greater concourse of people to crowd into the church,
shuffling the snow from off their feet, and clapping and blowing in
their hands. The western door was flung wide open, showing a glimpse of
sunlit, snowy street, and admitting in a great gust the shrewd air of
the morning; and in short, it became plain by every sign, that Lord
Shoreby desired to be married very early in the day, and that the
wedding-train was drawing near.

Some of Lord Shoreby's men now cleared a passage down the middle aisle,
forcing the people back with lance-stocks; and just then, outside the
portal, the secular musicians could be descried drawing near over the
frozen snow, the fifers and trumpeters scarlet in the face with lusty
blowing, the drummers and the cymbalists beating as for a wager. These
as they drew near the door of the sacred building, filed off on either
side, and marking time to their own vigorous music, stood stamping in
the snow. As they thus opened their ranks, the leaders of this noble
bridal train appeared behind and between them; and such was the variety
and gaiety of their attire, such the display of silks and velvet, fur
and satin, embroidery and lace, that the procession showed forth upon
the snow like a flower-bed in a path or a painted window in a wall.

First came the bride, a sorry sight, as pale as winter, clinging to Sir
Daniel's arm, and attended, as bridesmaid, by the short young lady who
had befriended Dick the night before. Close behind, in the most radiant
toilet, followed the bridegroom, halting on a gouty foot, and as he
passed the threshold of the sacred building, and doffed his hat, his
bald head was seen to be rosy with emotion.

And now came the hour of Ellis Duckworth.

Dick, who sat stunned among contrary emot