THE MARRIAGE.
Well, the nex day came: at 12 the carridge-and-four was waiting at the ambasdor’s doar; and Miss Griffin and the faithfle Kicksey were punctial to the apintment.
I don’t wish to digscribe the marridge seminary — how the embasy chapling jined the hands of this loving young couple — how one of the embasy footmin was called in to witness the marridge — how Miss wep and fainted as usial — and how Deuceace carried her, fainting, to the brisky, and drove off to Fontingblo, where they were to pass the fust weak of the honey-moon. They took no servnts, because they wisht, they said, to be privit. And so, when I had shut up the steps, and bid the postilion drive on, I bid ajew to the Honrabble Algernon, and went off strait to his exlent father.
“Is it all over, Chawls?” said he.
“I saw them turned off at igsactly a quarter past 12, my lord,” says I.
“Did you give Miss Griffin the paper, as I told you, before her marriage?”
“I did, my lord, in the presents of Mr. Brown, Lord Bobtail’s man; who can swear to her having had it.”
I must tell you that my lord had made me read a paper which Lady Griffin had written, and which I was comishnd to give in the manner menshnd abuff. It ran to this effect:—
“According to the authority given me by the will of my late dear husband, I forbid the marriage of Miss Griffin with the Honorable Algernon Percy Deuceace. If Miss Griffin persists in the union, I warn her that she must abide by the consequences of her act.
“LEONORA EMILIA GRIFFIN.”
“RUE DE RIVOLI, May 8, 1818.”
When I gave this to Miss as she entered the cortyard, a minnit before my master’s arrivle, she only read it contemptiously, and said, “I laugh at the threats of Lady Griffin;” and she toar the paper in two, and walked on, leaning on the arm of the faithful and obleaging Miss Kicksey.
I picked up the paper for fear of axdents, and brot it to my lord. Not that there was any necessaty; for he’d kep a copy, and made me and another witniss (my Lady Griffin’s solissator) read them both, before he sent either away.
“Good!”............