Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-05-14
Copyright, 1897, by Tillotson & Son.
CHAPTER K.

with headache, and her first thought
was, To-day it will all end" She was
not only sad, but oppressed with a
sense of dread and feeling that she
wanted to cry about something she did
not know what. But she reflected that
this is always the case with Brides and
the thought consoled her The only
thing was that her heart would now
beat like a hammer. and then seem to
die away altogether. and kept up con-
slant aching, as with presentiment of
something wrong
The weather was gloomy. From early
morning it had been steadily drizzling,
and the rain made both the mother and
the nurse exceedingly doleful. 1t was
bad omen. WHO is married in the rain
shall have tears through life" Mrs
Prozorov even wept little.
At O'Clock the carriage arrived, and
they drove to church, accompanied by
the incessant sound of the rain beating
on the windows. In the porch stood sew.
eral beggars. Katla gave money to
them all. Pray for my soul," she
whispered to them, as though she were
preparing for her grave.
The bridal party entered the building
The humble village church was dimly
lighted with four great candles and two
small chandeliers. A damp, cold draft
seemed to come from the black vault of
the dome, and the church was empty
and silent
Its like a grave, passed through
Katia's mind
The bridegroom was already there,
with the two groomsmen The deacon
brought out the lecturn before the CELL
tral door of the altar and placed on it
the book of the ritual, beside which he
put wax candle in tall candlestick.
Before the lecturn was laid the silken
mat. Then the priest came out Bride
and bridegroom joined hands and took
their place on the mat The nurse.
standing just behind in the little group
of friends, whispered in her mistress
ear with delight:
MY own darlingl She's got on it
first. See there, she's first :" ---
This also was an omen. Whoever
stepped first on to the silken mat would
be the ruler of the future household.
Katia and the bridegroom stood holding
each other by the hand. She did not
look at him She was listening to the
words that were being read aloud 1t
happened that the priest was young
man who did not think it necessary to
mouth his speech in the usual. fashion.
He read every syllable clearly and ex-
pressively, and the words were so grand,
so magnificent! 1t was an explanation
of the meaning and purpose of the sac
rament of marriage that he was read
ing, the sacrament by which one human
being shall leave father and mother and
kindred for one other human being that
they may become one in body and soul
"This is great mystery
Yes, yes, this was it. This was the
lit" that she had dreamed of This was
thing that she could understand and
fulfll-to have nothing of ones own,
to share everything, to become as one
soul and to join together in serving 9TH
ers, to renounce your own self, to have
no other care. to give up your soul to
"Why, where did these words come
from?' she asked herself suddenly.
Surely the priest was net reading
them? All, no, it was Vladimir who
had said that. His image suddenly
rose up before her, as vivid as reality,
looking at her with rcproachful eyes.
Her heart began to tluttrr like trapped
bird, then suddenly stopped, and she
grew cold all over, with sharp pain
in the chest and feeling that she
must fall. Every one observed her sud-
den paleness, and there was a slight
rustic in the church. One of the grooms-
men put his hand to her shoulder to
support her, but she recovered herself
for the moment
The crowns were brought out on a
salver from the sacristy. The priest took
them, made the sign of the cross and
placed them first OH the head of the
bridegroom, then Oh that of the bride.
The choir sang solemn hymn; then
the priest again began toread and Katia
to listen. The words seemed to her still
more beautiful. still more touching
than those he had read before. He was
reading now about how they should
love each other, even as Christ also
loved the church Yes that was very
beautiful Why had no one ever said
these words to her before, instead OF
always talking to her about the advan-
tages of good match and settled in
come and social position? Yes, as
Christ loved the church! That means to
love with all ones soul, to cherish an
other, to die for another. That she
could do; that she could understand.
Heavensl 1t was Vladimir she was
thinking of 1t was vladimir she loved
in this way and not this strange man.
this outsider who was standing by her
She was decetving both God and man
Oh, what was she doing? What was
she doing?
The choir sang again, and then once
more the priest began to read aloud,
but Katia no longer listened. a horri-
BILE discovery had lighted up the places
in her own soul that had been dark to
her, as the glare of a house on fire lights
up all around it Her thoughts rushed
Oh and ON, like wild creatures broken