hurch, and walked, with an
unfaltering step and firm though modest mien, up to the altar, beside
which Nigel already stood. She was robed entirely in white, without the
smallest ornament save the emerald clasp which secured, and the
beautiful pearl embroidery which adorned her girdle. Her mantle was of
white silk, its little hood thrown back, disclosing a rich lining of the
white fox fur. Lady Seaton had simply arranged her hair in its own
beautiful curls, and not a flower or gem peeped through them; a silver
bodkin secured the veil, which was just sufficiently transparent to
permit her betrothed to look upon her features, and feel that, pale and
still as they were, they evinced no change in her generous purpose. He,
too, was pale, for he felt those rites yet more impressively holy than
he had deemed them, even when his dreams had pictured them peculiarly
and solemnly holy; for he looked not to a continuance of life and
happiness, he felt not that ceremony set its seal upon joy, and bound
it, as far as mortality might hope, forever on their hearts. He was
conscious only of the deep unutterable fulness of that gentle being's
love, of the bright, beautiful lustre with which it shone upon his path.
The emotion of his young and ardent breast was perhaps almost too holy,
too condensed, to be termed joy; but it was one so powerful, so blessed,
that all of earth and earthly care was lost before it. The fears and
doubts which he had so lately felt, for the time completely faded from
his memory. That there were foes without and yet darker foes within he
might have known perhaps, but at that moment they did not occupy a
fleeting thought. He had changed his dress for one of richness suited to
his rank, and though at the advice of his friends he still retained the
breastplate and some other parts of his armor, his doublet of azure
velvet, cut and slashed with white satin, and his long, flowing mantle
lined with sable, and so richly decorated with silver stars that its
color could scarcely be distinguished, removed all appearance of a
martial costume, and well became the graceful figure they adorned; two
of the oldest knights and four other officers, all gayly attired as the
hurry of the moment would permit, had at his own request attended him to
the altar.

Much surprise this sudden intention had indeed caused, but it was an
excitement, a change from the dull routine of the siege, and
consequently welcomed with joy, many indeed bel