The Rosary
Chapter XXXVII
"In The Face Of This Congregation"
The society paragraphs would have described it as "a very quiet wedding,"
when Garth and Jane, a few days later, were pronounced "man and wife together,"
in the little Episcopal church among the hills.
Perhaps, to those who were present, it stands out rather as an unusual
wedding, than as a quiet one.
To Garth and Jane the essential thing was to be married, and left to
themselves, with as little delay as possible. They could not be induced to pay
any attention to details as to the manner in which this desired end was to be
attained. Jane left it entirely to the doctor, in one practical though casual
sentence: "Just make sure it is valid, Dicky; and send us in the bills."
The duchess, being a true conservative, early began mentioning veils,
orange-blossom, and white satin; but Jane said: "My dear Aunt! Fancy me — in
orange-blossom! I should look like a Christmas pantomime. And I never wear
veils, even in motors; and white satin is a form of clothing I have always had
the wisdom to avoid."
"Then in what do you intend to be married, unnatural girl?" inquired the
duchess.
"In whatever I happen to put on, that morning," replied Jane, knotting the
silk of a soft crimson cord she was knitting; and glancing out of the window, to
where Garth sat smoking, on the terrace.
"Have you a time-table?" inquired her Grace of Meldrum, with dangerous
calmness. "And can you send me to the station this afternoon?"
"We can always send to the station, at a moment's notice," said Jane, working
in a golden strand, and considering the effect. "But where are you going, dear
Aunt 'Gina? You know Deryck and Flower arrive this evening."
"I am washing my hands of you, and going South," said the duchess,
wrathfully.
"Don't do that, dear," said Jane, placidly. "You have washed your hands of me
so often; and, like the blood of King Duncan of Scotland, I am upon them still.
'All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.'" Then, raising
her voice: "Garth, if you want to walk, just give a call. I am here, talking
over my trousseau with Aunt 'Gina."
"What is a trousseau?" came back in Garth's happy voice.
"A thing you get into to be married," said Jane.
"Then let's get into it quickly," shouted Garth, with enthusiasm.
"Dear Aunt," said Jane, "let us make a compromise. I have some quite nice
clothes upstairs, including Redfern tailor-mades, and several uniforms. Let your
maid look through them, and whatever you select, and she puts out in readiness
on my wedding morning, I promise to wear."
This resulted in Jane appearing at the church in a long blue cloth coat and
skirt, handsomely embroidered with gold, and suiting her large figure to
perfection; a deep yellow vest of brocaded silk; and old lace ruffles at neck
and wrists.
Garth was as anxious about his wedding garments, as Jane had been indifferent
over hers; but he had so often been in requisition as best-man at town weddings,
that Simpson had no difficulty in turning him out in the acme of correct bridal
attire. And very handsome he looked, as he stood waiting at the chancel steps;
not watching for his bride; but obviously listening for her; for, as Jane came
up the church on Deryck's arm, Garth slightly turned his head and smiled.
The duchess — resplendent in purple satin and ermine, with white plumes in
her bonnet, and many jewelled chains depending from her, which rattled and
tinkled, in the silence of the church, every time she moved — was in a front
pew on the left, ready to give her niece away.
In a corresponding seat, on the opposite side, as near as possible to the
bridegroom, sat Margery Graem, in black silk, with a small quilted satin bonnet,
and a white lawn kerchief folded over the faithful old heart which had beaten in
tenderness for Garth since his babyhood. She turned her head anxiously, every
time the duchess jingled; but otherwise kept her eyes fixed on the marriage
service, in a large-print prayer-book in her lap. Margery was not used to the
Episcopal service, and she had her "doots" as to whether it could possibly be
gone through correctly, by all parties concerned. In fact this anxiety of old
Margery's increased so painfully when the ceremony actually commenced, that it
took audible form; and she repeated all the answers of the bridal pair, in an
impressive whisper, after them.
Dr. Rob, being the only available bachelor, did duty as best-man; Jane having
stipulated that he should not be intrusted with the ring; her previous
observations leading her to conclude that he would most probably slip it
unconsciously on to his finger, and then search through all his own pockets and
all Garth's; and begin taking up the church matting, before it occurred to him
to look at his hand. Jane would not have minded the diversion, but she did
object to any delay. So the ring went to church in Garth's waistcoat pocket,
where it had lived since Jane brought it out from Aberdeen; and, without any
fumbling or hesitation, was quietly laid by him upon the open book.
Dr. Rob had charge of the fees for clerk, verger, bell-ringers, and every
person, connected with the church, who could possibly have a tip pressed upon
them.
Garth was generous in his gladness, and eager to do all things in a manner
worthy of the great gift made fully his that day. So Dr. Rob was well provided
with the wherewithal; and this he jingled in his pockets as soon as the
exhortation commenced, and his interest in the proceedings resulted in his fatal
habit of unconsciousness of his own actions. Thus he and the duchess kept up a
tinkling duet, each hearing the other, and not their own sounds. So the duchess
glared at Dr. Rob; and Dr. Rob frowned at the duchess; and old Margery looked
tearfully at both.
Deryck Brand, the tallest man in the church, his fine figure showing to
advantage in the long frock coat with silk facings, which Lady Brand had
pronounced indispensable to the occasion, retired to a seat beside his wife,
just behind old Margery, as soon as he had conducted Jane to Garth's side. As
Jane removed her hand from his arm, she turned and smiled at him; and a long
look passed between them. All the memories, all the comprehension, all the trust
and affection of years, seemed to concentrate in that look; and Lady Brand's
eyes dropped to her dainty white and gold prayer-book. She had never known
jealousy; the doctor had never given her any possible reason for acquiring that
cruel knowledge. His Flower bloomed for him; and her fragrance alone made his
continual joy. All other lovely women were mere botanical specimens, to be
examined and classified. But Flower had never quite understood the depth of the
friendship between her husband and Jane, founded on the associations and
aspirations of childhood and early youth, and a certain similarity of character
which would not have wedded well, but which worked out into a comradeship,
providing a source of strength for both. Of late, Flower had earnestly tried to
share, even while failing to comprehend, it.
Perhaps she, in her pale primrose gown, with daffodils at her waist, and
sunbeams in her golden hair, was the most truly bridal figure in the church. As
the doctor turned from the bride, and sought his place beside her in the pew, he
looked at the sweet face, bent so demurely over the prayer-book, and thought he
had never seen his wife look more entrancingly lovely. Unconsciously his hand
strayed to the white rosebud she had fastened in his coat as they strolled round
the conservatory together that morning. Flower, glancing up, surprised his look.
She did not think it right to smile in church; but a delicate wave of colour
swept over her face, and her cheek leaned as near the doctor's shoulder, as the
size of her hat would allow. Flower felt quite certain that was a look the
doctor had never given Jane.
The service commenced. The short-sighted clergyman, very nervous, and rather
overwhelmed by the unusual facts of a special license, a blind bridegroom, and
the reported presence of a duchess, began reading very fast, in an undertone,
which old Margery could not follow, though her finger, imprisoned in unwonted
kid, hurried along the lines. Then conscious of his mistake, he slowed down, and
became too impressive; making long nerve-straining pauses, fled in by the
tinkling of the duchess, and the chinking in Dr. Rob's trousers- pockets.
Thus they arrived at the demand upon the congregation, if they could show any
just cause why these two persons might not lawfully be joined together, NOW to
speak — and the pause here was so long, and so over-powering, that old Margery
said "nay"; and then gave a nervous sob. The bridegroom turned and smiled in the
direction of the voice; and the doctor, leaning forward, laid his hand on the
trembling shoulder, and whispered: "Steady, old friend. It is all right."
There was no pause whatever after the solemn charge to the couple; so if
Garth and Jane had any secrets to disclose, they had perforce to keep them for
after discussion.
Then Jane found her right hand firmly clasped in Garth's; and no inadequacy
of the Church's mouth-piece could destroy the exquisite beauty of the Church's
words, in which Garth was asked if he would take her to be his own.
To this, Garth, and old Margery, said. they would; with considerable display
of emotion.
Then the all-comprehensive question was put to Jane; the Church seeming to
remind her gently, that she took him in his blindness, with all which that might
entail.
Jane said: "I will"; and the deep, tender voice, was the voice of The Rosary.
When the words were uttered, Garth lifted the hand he held, and reverently
kissed it.
This was not in the rubric, and proved disconcerting to the clergyman. He
threw up his head suddenly, and inquired: "Who giveth this woman to be married
to this man?" And as, for the moment, there was no response, he repeated, the
question wildly; gazing into distant corners of the church.
Then the duchess, who up to that time had been feeling a little bored,
realised that her moment had come, and rejoiced. She sailed out of her pew, and
advanced to the chancel step. "My dear good man," she said; "I give my
niece away; having come north at considerable inconvenience for that express
purpose. Now, go on. What do we do next?"
Dr. Rob broke into an uncontrollable chuckle. The duchess lifted her
lorgnette, and surveyed him. Margery searched her prayer-book in vain for the
duchess's response. It did not appear to be there.
Flower looked in distressed appeal at the doctor. But the doctor was
studying, with grave intentness, a stencilled pattern on the chancel roof; and
paid no attention to Flower's nudge.
The only people completely unconscious of anything unusual in the order of
proceedings appeared to be the bride and bridegroom. They were taking each other
"in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation." They were
altogether absorbed in each other, standing together in the sight of God; and
the deportment of "this congregation" was a matter they scarcely noticed.
"People always behave grotesquely at weddings," Jane had said to Garth,
beforehand; "and ours will be no exception to the general rule. But we can close
our eyes, and stand together in Sightless Land; and Deryck will take care it is
valid."
"Not in Sightless Land, my beloved," said Garth; "but in the Land where they
need no candle neither light of the sun. However, and wherever, I take YOU as my
wife, I shall be standing on the summit of God's heaven."
So they stood; and in their calmness the church hushed to silence. The
service proceeded; and the minister, who had not known how to keep them from
clasping hands when the rubric did not require it, found no difficulty in
inducing them to do so again.
So they took each other — these two, who were so deeply each other's already
— solemnly, reverently, tenderly, in the sight of God, they took each other,
according to God's holy ordinance; and the wedding ring, type of that eternal
love which has neither beginning nor ending, passed from Garth's pocket, over
the Holy Book, on to Jane's finger.
When it was over, she took his arm; and leaning upon it, so that he could
feel she leaned, guided him to the vestry.
Afterwards, in the brougham, for those few precious minutes, when husband and
wife find themselves alone for the first time, Garth turned to Jane with an
eager naturalness, which thrilled her heart as no studied speech could have
done. He did not say: "My wife." That unique moment had been theirs, three years
before.
"Dearest," he said, "how soon will they all go? How soon shall we be quite
alone? Oh, why couldn't they drive to the station from the church?"
Jane looked at her watch. "Because we must lunch them, dear," she said.
"Think how good they have all been. And we could not start our married life by
being inhospitable. It is just one o'clock; and we ordered luncheon at
half-past. Their train leaves the station at half-past four. In three hours,
Garth, we shall be alone."
"Shall I be able to behave nicely for three hours?" exclaimed Garth,
boyishly.
"You must," said Jane, "or I shall fetch Nurse Rosemary."
"Oh hush!" he said. "All that is too precious, to-day, for chaff. Jane" — he
turned suddenly, and laid his hand on hers — "Jane! Do you understand that you
are now — actually — my wife?"
Jane took his hand, and held it against her heart, just where she so often
had pressed her own, when she feared he would hear it throbbing.
"My darling," she said, "I do not understand it. But I know — ah, thank God!
— I know it to be true."