CHAPTER	O
I	O
'	O
HASTE	O
TO	O
THE	O
WEDDING	O
'	O
'	O
Wooed	O
and	O
married	O
and	O
a	O
'	O
.	O
'	O

'	O
Edith	O
!	O
'	O

said	EVENT
Margaret	O
,	O
gently	O
,	O
'	O
Edith	O
!	O
'	O

But	O
,	O
as	O
Margaret	O
half	O
suspected	EVENT
,	O
Edith	O
had	O
fallen	O
asleep	EVENT
.	O

She	O
lay	O
curled	O
up	O
on	O
the	O
sofa	O
in	O
the	O
back	O
drawing-room	O
in	O
Harley	O
Street	O
,	O
looking	O
very	O
lovely	O
in	O
her	O
white	O
muslin	O
and	O
blue	O
ribbons	O
.	O

If	O
Titania	O
had	O
ever	O
been	O
dressed	O
in	O
white	O
muslin	O
and	O
blue	O
ribbons	O
,	O
and	O
had	O
fallen	O
asleep	O
on	O
a	O
crimson	O
damask	O
sofa	O
in	O
a	O
back	O
drawing-room	O
,	O
Edith	O
might	O
have	O
been	O
taken	O
for	O
her	O
.	O

Margaret	O
was	O
struck	EVENT
afresh	O
by	O
her	O
cousin	O
's	O
beauty	O
.	O

They	O
had	O
grown	O
up	O
together	O
from	O
childhood	O
,	O
and	O
all	O
along	O
Edith	O
had	O
been	O
remarked	O
upon	O
by	O
every	O
one	O
,	O
except	O
Margaret	O
,	O
for	O
her	O
prettiness	O
;	O
but	O
Margaret	O
had	O
never	O
thought	O
about	O
it	O
until	O
the	O
last	O
few	O
days	O
,	O
when	O
the	O
prospect	O
of	O
soon	O
losing	O
her	O
companion	O
seemed	O
to	O
give	O
force	O
to	O
every	O
sweet	O
quality	O
and	O
charm	O
which	O
Edith	O
possessed	O
.	O

They	O
had	O
been	O
talking	EVENT
about	O
wedding	O
dresses	O
,	O
and	O
wedding	O
ceremonies	O
;	O
and	O
Captain	O
Lennox	O
,	O
and	O
what	O
he	O
had	O
told	O
Edith	O
about	O
her	O
future	O
life	O
at	O
Corfu	O
,	O
where	O
his	O
regiment	O
was	O
stationed	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
difficulty	O
of	O
keeping	O
a	O
piano	O
in	O
good	O
tune	O
(	O
a	O
difficulty	O
which	O
Edith	O
seemed	O
to	O
consider	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
formidable	O
that	O
could	O
befall	O
her	O
in	O
her	O
married	O
life	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
what	O
gowns	O
she	O
should	O
want	O
in	O
the	O
visits	O
to	O
Scotland	O
,	O
which	O
would	O
immediately	O
succeed	O
her	O
marriage	O
;	O
but	O
the	O
whispered	EVENT
tone	O
had	O
latterly	O
become	O
more	O
drowsy	EVENT
;	O
and	O
Margaret	O
,	O
after	O
a	O
pause	EVENT
of	O
a	O
few	O
minutes	O
,	O
found	EVENT
,	O
as	O
she	O
fancied	O
,	O
that	O
in	O
spite	O
of	O
the	O
buzz	EVENT
in	O
the	O
next	O
room	O
,	O
Edith	O
had	O
rolled	EVENT
herself	O
up	O
into	O
a	O
soft	O
ball	O
of	O
muslin	O
and	O
ribbon	O
,	O
and	O
silken	O
curls	O
,	O
and	O
gone	O
off	O
into	O
a	O
peaceful	O
little	O
after-dinner	O
nap	EVENT
.	O

Margaret	O
had	O
been	O
on	O
the	O
point	O
of	O
telling	O
her	O
cousin	O
of	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
plans	O
and	O
visions	O
which	O
she	O
entertained	O
as	O
to	O
her	O
future	O
life	O
in	O
the	O
country	O
parsonage	O
,	O
where	O
her	O
father	O
and	O
mother	O
lived	O
;	O
and	O
where	O
her	O
bright	O
holidays	O
had	O
always	O
been	O
passed	O
,	O
though	O
for	O
the	O
last	O
ten	O
years	O
her	O
aunt	O
Shaw	O
's	O
house	O
had	O
been	O
considered	O
as	O
her	O
home	O
.	O

But	O
in	O
default	O
of	O
a	O
listener	O
,	O
she	O
had	O
to	O
brood	EVENT
over	O
the	O
change	EVENT
in	O
her	O
life	O
silently	O
as	O
heretofore	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
a	O
happy	O
brooding	EVENT
,	O
although	O
tinged	O
with	O
regret	O
at	O
being	O
separated	EVENT
for	O
an	O
indefinite	O
time	O
from	O
her	O
gentle	O
aunt	O
and	O
dear	O
cousin	O
.	O

As	O
she	O
thought	EVENT
of	O
the	O
delight	O
of	O
filling	O
the	O
important	O
post	O
of	O
only	O
daughter	O
in	O
Helstone	O
parsonage	O
,	O
pieces	O
of	O
the	O
conversation	EVENT
out	O
of	O
the	O
next	O
room	O
came	EVENT
upon	O
her	O
ears	O
.	O

Her	O
aunt	O
Shaw	O
was	O
talking	EVENT
to	O
the	O
five	O
or	O
six	O
ladies	O
who	O
had	O
been	O
dining	EVENT
there	O
,	O
and	O
whose	O
husbands	O
were	O
still	O
in	O
the	O
dining-room	O
.	O

They	O
were	O
the	O
familiar	O
acquaintances	O
of	O
the	O
house	O
;	O
neighbours	O
whom	O
Mrs.	O
Shaw	O
called	O
friends	O
,	O
because	O
she	O
happened	O
to	O
dine	O
with	O
them	O
more	O
frequently	O
than	O
with	O
any	O
other	O
people	O
,	O
and	O
because	O
if	O
she	O
or	O
Edith	O
wanted	O
anything	O
from	O
them	O
,	O
or	O
they	O
from	O
her	O
,	O
they	O
did	O
not	O
scruple	O
to	O
make	O
a	O
call	O
at	O
each	O
other	O
's	O
houses	O
before	O
luncheon	O
.	O

These	O
ladies	O
and	O
their	O
husbands	O
were	O
invited	EVENT
,	O
in	O
their	O
capacity	O
of	O
friends	O
,	O
to	O
eat	O
a	O
farewell	O
dinner	O
in	O
honour	O
of	O
Edith	O
's	O
approaching	O
marriage	O
.	O

Edith	O
had	O
rather	O
objected	EVENT
to	O
this	O
arrangement	O
,	O
for	O
Captain	O
Lennox	O
was	O
expected	O
to	O
arrive	O
by	O
a	O
late	O
train	O
this	O
very	O
evening	O
;	O
but	O
,	O
although	O
she	O
was	O
a	O
spoiled	O
child	O
,	O
she	O
was	O
too	O
careless	O
and	O
idle	O
to	O
have	O
a	O
very	O
strong	O
will	O
of	O
her	O
own	O
,	O
and	O
gave	EVENT
way	O
when	O
she	O
found	EVENT
that	O
her	O
mother	O
had	O
absolutely	O
ordered	EVENT
those	O
extra	O
delicacies	O
of	O
the	O
season	O
which	O
are	O
always	O
supposed	O
to	O
be	O
efficacious	O
against	O
immoderate	O
grief	O
at	O
farewell	O
dinners	O
.	O

She	O
contented	EVENT
herself	O
by	O
leaning	EVENT
back	O
in	O
her	O
chair	O
,	O
merely	O
playing	EVENT
with	O
the	O
food	O
on	O
her	O
plate	O
,	O
and	O
looking	O
grave	O
and	O
absent	O
;	O
while	O
all	O
around	O
her	O
were	O
enjoying	EVENT
the	O
mots	EVENT
of	O
Mr.	O
Grey	O
,	O
the	O
gentleman	O
who	O
always	O
took	O
the	O
bottom	O
of	O
the	O
table	O
at	O
Mrs.	O
Shaw	O
's	O
dinner	O
parties	O
,	O
and	O
asked	O
Edith	O
to	O
give	O
them	O
some	O
music	O
in	O
the	O
drawing-room	O
.	O

Mr.	O
Grey	O
was	O
particularly	O
agreeable	EVENT
over	O
this	O
farewell	O
dinner	EVENT
,	O
and	O
the	O
gentlemen	O
staid	EVENT
down	O
stairs	O
longer	O
than	O
usual	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
very	O
well	O
they	O
did	EVENT
--	O
to	O
judge	O
from	O
the	O
fragments	O
of	O
conversation	EVENT
which	O
Margaret	O
overheard	EVENT
.	O
'	O

I	O
suffered	O
too	O
much	O
myself	O
;	O
not	O
that	O
I	O
was	O
not	O
extremely	O
happy	O
with	O
the	O
poor	O
dear	O
General	O
,	O
but	O
still	O
disparity	O
of	O
age	O
is	O
a	O
drawback	O
;	O
one	O
that	O
I	O
was	O
resolved	O
Edith	O
should	O
not	O
have	O
to	O
encounter	O
.	O

Of	O
course	O
,	O
without	O
any	O
maternal	O
partiality	O
,	O
I	O
foresaw	O
that	O
the	O
dear	O
child	O
was	O
likely	O
to	O
marry	O
early	O
;	O
indeed	O
,	O
I	O
had	O
often	O
said	O
that	O
I	O
was	O
sure	O
she	O
would	O
be	O
married	O
before	O
she	O
was	O
nineteen	O
.	O

I	O
had	O
quite	O
a	O
prophetic	O
feeling	EVENT
when	O
Captain	O
Lennox	O
'	O
--	O
and	O
here	O
the	O
voice	O
dropped	EVENT
into	O
a	O
whisper	EVENT
,	O
but	O
Margaret	O
could	O
easily	O
supply	O
the	O
blank	O
.	O

The	O
course	O
of	O
true	O
love	O
in	O
Edith	O
's	O
case	O
had	O
run	O
remarkably	O
smooth	O
.	O

Mrs.	O
Shaw	O
had	O
given	EVENT
way	O
to	O
the	O
presentiment	EVENT
,	O
as	O
she	O
expressed	EVENT
it	O
;	O
and	O
had	O
rather	O
urged	EVENT
on	O
the	O
marriage	O
,	O
although	O
it	O
was	O
below	O
the	O
expectations	O
which	O
many	O
of	O
Edith	O
's	O
acquaintances	O
had	O
formed	O
for	O
her	O
,	O
a	O
young	O
and	O
pretty	O
heiress	O
.	O

But	O
Mrs.	O
Shaw	O
said	EVENT
that	O
her	O
only	O
child	O
should	O
marry	O
for	O
love	O
,	O
--	O
and	O
sighed	EVENT
emphatically	O
,	O
as	O
if	O
love	O
had	O
not	O
been	O
her	O
motive	O
for	O
marrying	O
the	O
General	O
.	O

Mrs.	O
Shaw	O
enjoyed	O
the	O
romance	O
of	O
the	O
present	O
engagement	EVENT
rather	O
more	O
than	O
her	O
daughter	O
.	O

Not	O
but	O
that	O
Edith	O
was	O
very	O
thoroughly	O
and	O
properly	O
in	O
love	O
;	O
still	O
she	O
would	O
certainly	O
have	O
preferred	O
a	O
good	O
house	O
in	O
Belgravia	O
,	O
to	O
all	O
the	O
picturesqueness	O
of	O
the	O
life	O
which	O
Captain	O
Lennox	O
described	O
at	O
Corfu	O
.	O

The	O
very	O
parts	O
which	O
made	O
Margaret	O
glow	EVENT
as	O
she	O
listened	EVENT
,	O
Edith	O
pretended	EVENT
to	O
shiver	O
and	O
shudder	O
at	O
;	O
partly	O
for	O
the	O
pleasure	EVENT
she	O
had	O
in	O
being	O
coaxed	EVENT
out	O
of	O
her	O
dislike	O
by	O
her	O
fond	O
lover	O
,	O
and	O
partly	O
because	O
anything	O
of	O
a	O
gipsy	O
or	O
make-shift	O
life	O
was	O
really	O
distasteful	O
to	O
her	O
.	O

Yet	O
had	O
any	O
one	O
come	O
with	O
a	O
fine	O
house	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
fine	O
estate	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
fine	O
title	O
to	O
boot	O
,	O
Edith	O
would	O
still	O
have	O
clung	O
to	O
Captain	O
Lennox	O
while	O
the	O
temptation	O
lasted	O
;	O
when	O
it	O
was	O
over	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
possible	O
she	O
might	O
have	O
had	O
little	O
qualms	O
of	O
ill-concealed	O
regret	O
that	O
Captain	O
Lennox	O
could	O
not	O
have	O
united	O
in	O
his	O
person	O
everything	O
that	O
was	O
desirable	O
.	O

In	O
this	O
she	O
was	O
but	O
her	O
mother	O
's	O
child	O
;	O
who	O
,	O
after	O
deliberately	O
marrying	EVENT
General	O
Shaw	O
with	O
no	O
warmer	O
feeling	O
than	O
respect	O
for	O
his	O
character	O
and	O
establishment	O
,	O
was	O
constantly	O
,	O
though	O
quietly	O
,	O
bemoaning	O
her	O
hard	O
lot	O
in	O
being	O
united	O
to	O
one	O
whom	O
she	O
could	O
not	O
love	O
.	O
'	O

I	O
have	O
spared	O
no	O
expense	O
in	O
her	O
trousseau	O
,	O
'	O
were	O
the	O
next	O
words	EVENT
Margaret	O
heard	EVENT
.	O

'	O
She	O
has	O
all	O
the	O
beautiful	O
Indian	O
shawls	O
and	O
scarfs	O
the	O
General	O
gave	O
to	O
me	O
,	O
but	O
which	O
I	O
shall	O
never	O
wear	O
again	O
.	O
'	O

'	O
She	O
is	O
a	O
lucky	O
girl	O
,	O
'	O
replied	EVENT
another	O
voice	O
,	O
which	O
Margaret	O
knew	O
to	O
be	O
that	O
of	O
Mrs.	O
Gibson	O
,	O
a	O
lady	O
who	O
was	O
taking	O
a	O
double	O
interest	EVENT
in	O
the	O
conversation	EVENT
,	O
from	O
the	O
fact	O
of	O
one	O
of	O
her	O
daughters	O
having	O
been	O
married	EVENT
within	O
the	O
last	O
few	O
weeks	O
.	O

'	O
Helen	O
had	O
set	EVENT
her	O
heart	O
upon	O
an	O
Indian	O
shawl	O
,	O
but	O
really	O
when	O
I	O
found	EVENT
what	O
an	O
extravagant	O
price	O
was	O
asked	O
,	O
I	O
was	O
obliged	O
to	O
refuse	EVENT
her	O
.	O

She	O
will	O
be	O
quite	O
envious	O
when	O
she	O
hears	O
of	O
Edith	O
having	O
Indian	O
shawls	O
.	O

What	O
kind	O
are	O
they	O
?	O

Delhi	O
?	O

with	O
the	O
lovely	O
little	O
borders	O
?	O
'	O

Margaret	O
heard	EVENT
her	O
aunt	O
's	O
voice	EVENT
again	O
,	O
but	O
this	O
time	O
it	O
was	O
as	O
if	O
she	O
had	O
raised	O
herself	O
up	O
from	O
her	O
half-recumbent	O
position	O
,	O
and	O
were	O
looking	O
into	O
the	O
more	O
dimly	O
lighted	O
back	O
drawing-room	O
.	O

'	O
Edith	O
!	O

Edith	O
!	O
'	O

cried	EVENT
she	O
;	O
and	O
then	O
she	O
sank	EVENT
as	O
if	O
wearied	O
by	O
the	O
exertion	EVENT
.	O

Margaret	O
stepped	EVENT
forward	O
.	O

'	O
Edith	O
is	O
asleep	O
,	O
Aunt	O
Shaw	O
.	O

Is	O
it	O
anything	O
I	O
can	O
do	O
?	O
'	O

All	O
the	O
ladies	O
said	EVENT
'	O
Poor	O
child	O
!	O
'	O

on	O
receiving	EVENT
this	O
distressing	O
intelligence	O
about	O
Edith	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
minute	O
lap-dog	O
in	O
Mrs.	O
Shaw	O
's	O
arms	O
began	O
to	O
bark	EVENT
,	O
as	O
if	O
excited	O
by	O
the	O
burst	O
of	O
pity	EVENT
.	O

'	O
Hush	O
,	O
Tiny	O
!	O

you	O
naughty	O
little	O
girl	O
!	O

you	O
will	O
waken	O
your	O
mistress	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
only	O
to	O
ask	O
Edith	O
if	O
she	O
would	O
tell	O
Newton	O
to	O
bring	O
down	O
her	O
shawls	O
:	O
perhaps	O
you	O
would	O
go	O
,	O
Margaret	O
dear	O
?	O
'	O

Margaret	O
went	EVENT
up	O
into	O
the	O
old	O
nursery	O
at	O
the	O
very	O
top	O
of	O
the	O
house	O
,	O
where	O
Newton	O
was	O
busy	O
getting	EVENT
up	O
some	O
laces	O
which	O
were	O
required	O
for	O
the	O
wedding	O
.	O

While	O
Newton	O
went	EVENT
(	O
not	O
without	O
a	O
muttered	O
grumbling	EVENT
)	O
to	O
undo	O
the	O
shawls	O
,	O
which	O
had	O
already	O
been	O
exhibited	EVENT
four	O
or	O
five	O
times	O
that	O
day	O
,	O
Margaret	O
looked	EVENT
round	O
upon	O
the	O
nursery	O
;	O
the	O
first	O
room	O
in	O
that	O
house	O
with	O
which	O
she	O
had	O
become	O
familiar	EVENT
nine	O
years	O
ago	O
,	O
when	O
she	O
was	O
brought	EVENT
,	O
all	O
untamed	O
from	O
the	O
forest	O
,	O
to	O
share	O
the	O
home	O
,	O
the	O
play	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
lessons	O
of	O
her	O
cousin	O
Edith	O
.	O

She	O
remembered	EVENT
the	O
dark	O
,	O
dim	O
look	O
of	O
the	O
London	O
nursery	O
,	O
presided	O
over	O
by	O
an	O
austere	O
and	O
ceremonious	O
nurse	O
,	O
who	O
was	O
terribly	O
particular	O
about	O
clean	O
hands	O
and	O
torn	O
frocks	O
.	O

She	O
recollected	EVENT
the	O
first	O
tea	O
up	O
there	O
--	O
separate	O
from	O
her	O
father	O
and	O
aunt	O
,	O
who	O
were	O
dining	EVENT
somewhere	O
down	O
below	O
an	O
infinite	O
depth	O
of	O
stairs	O
;	O
for	O
unless	O
she	O
were	O
up	O
in	O
the	O
sky	O
(	O
the	O
child	O
thought	EVENT
)	O
,	O
they	O
must	O
be	O
deep	O
down	O
in	O
the	O
bowels	O
of	O
the	O
earth	O
.	O

At	O
home	O
--	O
before	O
she	O
came	O
to	O
live	O
in	O
Harley	O
Street	O
--	O
her	O
mother	O
's	O
dressing-room	O
had	O
been	O
her	O
nursery	O
;	O
and	O
,	O
as	O
they	O
kept	O
early	O
hours	O
in	O
the	O
country	O
parsonage	O
,	O
Margaret	O
had	O
always	O
had	O
her	O
meals	O
with	O
her	O
father	O
and	O
mother	O
.	O

Oh	O
!	O

well	O
did	O
the	O
tall	O
stately	O
girl	O
of	O
eighteen	O
remember	EVENT
the	O
tears	EVENT
shed	O
with	O
such	O
wild	O
passion	O
of	O
grief	EVENT
by	O
the	O
little	O
girl	O
of	O
nine	O
,	O
as	O
she	O
hid	EVENT
her	O
face	O
under	O
the	O
bed-clothes	O
,	O
in	O
that	O
first	O
night	O
;	O
and	O
how	O
she	O
was	O
bidden	EVENT
not	O
to	O
cry	O
by	O
the	O
nurse	O
,	O
because	O
it	O
would	O
disturb	O
Miss	O
Edith	O
;	O
and	O
how	O
she	O
had	O
cried	EVENT
as	O
bitterly	O
,	O
but	O
more	O
quietly	EVENT
,	O
till	O
her	O
newly-seen	EVENT
,	O
grand	O
,	O
pretty	O
aunt	O
had	O
come	EVENT
softly	O
upstairs	O
with	O
Mr.	O
Hale	O
to	O
show	O
him	O
his	O
little	O
sleeping	EVENT
daughter	O
.	O

Then	O
the	O
little	O
Margaret	O
had	O
hushed	EVENT
her	O
sobs	EVENT
,	O
and	O
tried	EVENT
to	O
lie	O
quiet	O
as	O
if	O
asleep	O
,	O
for	O
fear	EVENT
of	O
making	O
her	O
father	O
unhappy	O
by	O
her	O
grief	O
,	O
which	O
she	O
dared	O
not	O
express	O
before	O
her	O
aunt	O
,	O
and	O
which	O
she	O
rather	O
thought	O
it	O
was	O
wrong	O
to	O
feel	O
at	O
all	O
after	O
the	O
long	O
hoping	O
,	O
and	O
planning	O
,	O
and	O
contriving	O
they	O
had	O
gone	O
through	O
at	O
home	O
,	O
before	O
her	O
wardrobe	O
could	O
be	O
arranged	O
so	O
as	O
to	O
suit	O
her	O
grander	O
circumstances	O
,	O
and	O
before	O
papa	O
could	O
leave	O
his	O
parish	O
to	O
come	O
up	O
to	O
London	O
,	O
even	O
for	O
a	O
few	O
days	O
.	O

Now	O
she	O
had	O
got	O
to	O
love	O
the	O
old	O
nursery	O
,	O
though	O
it	O
was	O
but	O
a	O
dismantled	O
place	O
;	O
and	O
she	O
looked	EVENT
all	O
round	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
kind	O
of	O
cat-like	O
regret	EVENT
,	O
at	O
the	O
idea	EVENT
of	O
leaving	O
it	O
for	O
ever	O
in	O
three	O
days	O
.	O

'	O
Ah	O
Newton	O
!	O
'	O

said	EVENT
she	O
,	O
'	O
I	O
think	O
we	O
shall	O
all	O
be	O
sorry	O
to	O
leave	O
this	O
dear	O
old	O
room	O
.	O
'	O