entirety: he was not one to pander to false delicacy. It was Rudd's first wedding, and in consequence portions of this exordium came rather suddenly upon him. Some nice-minded brides, or their mothers, are at pains to induce the priest to omit a line here and there from these crude opening sentences; and often have their way. Others tolerate them as a quaint survival. Others again do not mind. Others, like the dear Canon, agree with the sentiments, and like courageously to express them. But however they are considered, Rudd found a certain piquancy in catching so large a company of conventional equivoking English people in their best clothes, forced to listen to physical facts.

And now came the crucial moments, which force seriousness on even the most light-headed.

"Wilt thou," said the dear Canon, bending unctuously over the couple and addressing Doran, “have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordnance in the holy state of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour and keep her in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?"

Not yet had Rudd seen the bride, but now she lifted her veil and disclosed the fact that Doran's angel had rather a masterful face, with firm thin lips.

It's a great undertaking, thought Rudd. Forsak

ing all others! How can poor fickle human nature, changing and developing every day, make such a promise as that?

But the good honest Doran entertained no such dubiety. "I will," he replied in a firm voice, and meant it too.

"Wilt thou," said the dear Canon, turning to the angel, "have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordnance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him and serve him, love, honour and keep him in sickness and in health -[How thorough it all is! thought Rudd]-and forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?" and the thin-lipped angel replied "I will" without a tremor.

Did the dear Canon, so bland, prosperous and beneficent, Rudd wondered, as he bent over all these couples and conducted these delicate negotiations, ever give a thought to possible sequels in the Probate, Admiralty and Divorce Division? Surely not, or he could not have been so suave and assured and creamy, so obviously performing a divine mission.

And then the two brave things, hand in hand, plighted their troth for ever-for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, to love and to cherish till death did them part; and the dear Canon gave way to the inferior clergy and began to turn his thoughts to the address which he always gave on these occasions, but which each family who secured his services believed

to be specially composed for themselves. No physiology here; but a hint or so of the possible need of give-and-take in the matrimonial state.

And then voices breathed again o'er Eden and the congregation sought the fresh air.

CHAPTER XXIX

FURTHER PROOF THAT A WOMAN'S INTEREST IN A MAN MUST BE MANAGED WITH SKILL IF SHE IS TO HOLD HIM

THERE was no bridesmaid whom Rudd felt in

danger of himself leading to the altar, but Eva

Lasker was quite amusing at lunch.

More than amusing: attractive, Rudd thought. She had a mass of brown hair and slender white hands. Her mouth was pretty too, and her voice rich and vibrating. Her age was in reality thirty, but she had all the machinery of twenty-five.

Rudd asked her if she too wrote, and she admitted that she had dabbled.

"But my efforts," she said, "are the merest rubbish. Now yours

things I like."

"Why?"

.

! I am sure you write the kind of

"Well, you look like it.

There's penetration in

your eyes; you seem to see right inside."

Rudd liked her.

"And then," she continued-"but you'll think I am horribly observant-"

"Not at all; what then?"

"Why, your hands. They're very interesting. You see, I've studied palmistry. I've got a certificate for it."

"You don't really believe in that sort of thing?" Rudd asked.

"Of course I do," she replied. "It's an exact science. I know."

"Do you mean to tell me that our characters are written in the lines of the hands?" Rudd said, with a laugh.

We are

"Why not?" she replied. "That's not more remarkable than many other things about us. fearfully and wonderfully made. But undoubtedly our characters are written there. And more too. Not only our characters but our whole lives, past, present and future."

"You can prophesy as well?" said Rudd.

"Yes," replied Miss Lasker, "but as a matter of fact we're not allowed to. Now just lay your right hand on the table for a moment, palm upwards."

She bent a comely head over it for a second and half whistled. "Most interesting," she murmured partly to herself. "But then," she added, "we're not talking right at all. We ought to be discussing plays or books," and she laughed brightly.

"You've shaken me," said Rudd. "I always felt that these sort of things-phrenology, chirop-I mean palmistry-were just fakes. Now, the only thing I really want is to have my hands read. Mayn't I?"