Part 67 (1/2)

”Now I don't want to hurry you; but Dr. Sampson is come.” The handmaids, fl.u.s.tered, tried to go faster; and, when the work was done, Julia took her little handgla.s.s and inspected her back: ”Oh,” she screamed, ”I am crooked. There, go for mamma!”

Mamma soon came, and the poor bride held out imploring hands, ”I'm all awry; I'm as crooked as a ram's horn.”

”La, miss,” said Sarah, ”it's only behind; n.o.body will notice it.”

”How can they help it? Mamma! _am_ I deformed?”

Mrs. Dodd smiled superior and bade her be calm: ”It is the lacing, dear.

No, Sarah, it is no use your _pulling_ it; all the pulling in the world will not straighten it. I thought so: you have missed the second top hole.”

Julia's little foot began to beat a tattoo on the floor: ”There is not a soul in the house but you can do the simplest thing. Eyes and no eyes!

Fingers and no fingers! I never did.”

”Hush, love, we all do our best.”

”Oh, I am sure of that; poor things.”

_”n.o.body_ can lace you if you fidget about love,” objected Mrs. Dodd.

(b.u.mp)! ”Now I don't want to hurry any man's cattle: but the bridesmaids are come.”

”Oh dear, I shall never be ready in time,” said Julia; and the tattoo recommenced.

”Plenty of time, love,” said Mrs. Dodd, quietly lacing: ”not half-past ten yet. Sarah, go and see if the bridegroom has arrived.”

Sarah returned with the rea.s.suring tidings that the bridegroom had not yet arrived; though the carriages had.

”Oh, thank Heaven, _he_ is not come,” said Julia. ”If I keep him waiting to-day, he might say--'Oho!'”

Under dread of a comment so significant she was ready at last, and said majestically he might come now whenever he liked.

Meantime, down stairs an uneasiness of the opposite kind was growing.

Ten minutes past the appointed time, and the bridegroom not there.

So while Julia, now full dressed, and easy in her mind, was directing Sarah's sister to lay out her plain travelling dress, bonnet and gloves on the bed, Mrs. Dodd was summoned downstairs. She came down with Julia's white gloves in her hand, and a needle and thread, the b.u.t.ton sewed on by trade's fair hand having flown at the first strain. Edward met her on the stairs: ”What had we better do, mother?” said he, _sotto voce:_ ”there must be some mistake. Can you remember? Wasn't he to call for me on the way to the church?”

”I really do not know,” said Mrs. Dodd. ”Is he at the church, do you think?”

”No, no, either he was to call for me here, or I for him. I'll go to the church, though: it is only a step.”

He ran off, and in a little more than five minutes came into the drawing-room.

”No, he is not there. I must go to his lodgings. Confound him, he has got reading Aristotle, I suppose.”

This pa.s.sed before the whole party, Julia excepted.

Sampson looked at his watch, and said he could conduct the ladies to the church while Edward went for Alfred. ”Division of labour,” said he gallantly, ”and mine the delightful half.”

Mrs. Dodd demurred to the plan. She was for waiting quietly in one place.