第25部分(第3/9 頁)

hoarse　shouts　at　the　gate；　and　all

her　floating　foamy　whiteness　passes　slowly　into　the　cab。

Her　father　notices　her　slim　ankle　and　foot　as　she　steps　up：　a

child's　foot。　His　heart　is　hard　with　tenderness。　But　she　is　in

ecstasies　with　herself　for　making　such　a　lovely　spectacle。　All

the　way　she　sat　flamboyant　with　bliss　because　it　was　all　so

lovely。　She　looked　down　solicitously　at　her　bouquet：　white　roses

and　lilies…of…the…valley　and　tube…roses　and　maidenhair

fern……very　rich　and　cascade…like。

Her　father　sat　bewildered　with　all　this　strangeness；　his

heart　was　so　full　it　felt　hard；　and　he　couldn't　think　of

anything。

The　church　was　decorated　for　Christmas；　dark　with　evergreens；

cold　and　snowy　with　white　flowers。　He　went　vaguely　down　to　the

altar。　How　long　was　it　since　he　had　gone　to　be　married　himself？

He　was　not　sure　whether　he　was　going　to　be　married　now；　or　what

he　had　e　for。　He　had　a　troubled　notion　that　he　had　to　do

something　or　other。　He　saw　his　wife's　bonnet；　and　wondered　why

she　wasn't　there　with　him。

They　stood　before　the　altar。　He　was　staring　up　at　the　east

window；　that　glowed　intensely；　a　sort　of　blue　purple：　it　was

deep　blue　glowing；　and　some　crimson；　and　little　yellow　flowers

held　fast　in　veins　of　shadow；　in　a　heavy　web　of　darkness。　How　it

burned　alive　in　radiance　among　its　black　web。

〃Who　giveth　this　wom