"and a
most willing bride San Gennaro bless thee, bella sposina, and the worthy
man who is the stem of so fair a rose! Send us wine, generous groom and
happy bride, that we may drink to the health of thee and thine!"

Christine changed color, and looked furtively around, for they who lie
under the weight of the world's displeasure, though innocent, are
sensitively jealous of allusions to the sore points in their histories.
The feeling communicated itself to her companion, who threw distrustful
glances at the crowd, in order to ascertain if the secret of his bride's
birth were not discovered.

"A braver festa never honored an Italian corso," continued the Neapolitan,
whose head was running on his own fancies, without troubling itself about
the apprehensions and wishes of others. "A gallant array and a fair bride!
Send us wine, felicissimi sposi, that we may drink to your eternal fame
and happiness! Happy the father that calls thee daughter, bella sposa, and
most honored the mother that bare so excellent a child! Scellerati, ye of
the crowd, why do ye not bear the worthy parents in your arms, that all
may see and do homage to the honorable roots of so rich a branch! Send us
wine, buona gente, send us cups of merry wine!"

The cries and figurative language of Pippo attracted the attention of the
multitude, who were additionally amused by the mixture of dialects in
which he uttered his appeals. The least important trifles, by giving a new
direction to popular sympathies, frequently become the parents of grave
events. The crowd, which followed the train of Hymen, had begun to weary
with the repetition of the same ceremonies, and it now gladly lent itself
to the episode of the felicitations and entreaties of the half-intoxicated
Neapolitan.

"Come forth, and act the father of the happy bride, thyself, reverend and
grave stranger;" cried one in derision, from the throng. "So excellent an
example will descend to thy children's children, in blessings on thy
line!"

A shout of laughter rewarded this retort. It put the quick-witted
Neapolitan on his mettle, to produce a prompt and suitable reply.

"My blessing on the blushing rose!" he answered in an instant. "There are
worse parents than Pippo, for he who lives by making others laugh deserves
well of men, whereas there is your medico, who eats the bread of colics,
and rheumatisms, and other foul diseases, of which he pretends to be the
enemy, though, San Gennaro to aid!--wh