So she rose up as in a dream, saying, "Shall I go
as I am?"
"I fear a fuller toilet would be lost upon the bridegroom," said
the lawyer with some commiseration, as he looked at the beautiful
young creature about to be bound to the heart-broken old hermit.
"You will have to do me the honour of accepting my services in the
part of father."
He was a man much attached to the family, and especially to Mr.
Belamour, his first patron, and was ready to do anything at his
bidding or for his pleasure. Such private weddings were by no
uncommon up to the middle of the last century. The State Law was
so easy as to render Gretna Green unnecessary, when the presence
of any clergyman anywhere, while the parties plighted their troth
before witnesses, was sufficient to legalise the union; nor did
any shame or sense of wrong necessarily attach to such marriages.
Indeed they were often the resource of persons too bashful or too
refined to endure the display and boisterous merriment by which a
public wedding was sure to be attended. Every one knew of excellent
and respectable couples who had not been known to be married till
the knot had been tied for several days or weeks--so that there was
nothing in this to shock the bride. And as usual she did as she was
told, and let Mr.
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