Page:Mehalah 1920.djvu/249

Rh Mr. Rabbit was obliged to content himself with a protest, and vest himself hastily for the function.

"Look here," said Mrs. De Witt, who took on herself the office of master of the ceremonies: "I am not going to be trodden on and crumpled. Stand back, good people; stand back, you parcel of unmannerly cubs! Let me get where I can keep the boys in order and see that everything gives satisfaction. I have been married; I ought to know all the ways and workings of it, and I do." She thrust her way to the pulpit, ascended the stair, and installed herself therein. "Oh, my eye!" whispered the boys in the gallery. "The old lady is busted all down her back!" "What is that?" asked Mrs. De Witt in dismay. She put her hands behind her. The observation of the boys was just. Her efforts to clear a way had been attended with ruin to the fastenings of her dress, and had brought back her arms to their normal position at the expense of hooks and eyes. "It can't be helped," said Mrs. De Witt, "so here goes!" And she drew on her military coat to hide the wreck.

"Now, then, parson, cast off! Elijah, you stand on the right, and Glory on the left."

The curate sneezed violently and rubbed his nose, and then his inflamed eyes. The dust of the flowering grass got even into that mouldy church, rank with grave odours and rotting timber. He began with the Exhortation. Mrs. De Witt followed each sentence with attention and appropriate gesture. "'Is not to be enterprised nor taken in hand unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly,'" she repeated, with solemn face and in an awestruck whisper; then, poking the boys in the gallery with her umbrella, "Just you listen to that, you cubs!" Then she nodded and gesticulated at the firstly, secondly, and thirdly of the address to those whom she thought needed impressing with the solemn words. Elijah answered loudly to the questions asked him whether he would have the girl at his side to be his wedded wife. Her answer was faint and reluctantly given.