Chapter 32

How fair these names, how much unlike they look
To all the blurr'd subscriptions in my book!
The bridegroom's letters stand in row above,
Tapering, yet straight, like pine-trees in his grove;
While free and fine the bride's appear below,
As light and slender as her jessamines grow.

CRABBE.

ST. JUDE's day came, the term assigned by Lucy herself as the furthest
date of expectation, and, as we have already said, there were neither
letters from nor news of Ravenswood. But there were news of Bucklaw, and
of his trusty associate Craigengelt, who arrived early in the morning
for the completion of the proposed espousals, and for signing the
necessary deeds.

These had been carefully prepared under the revisal of Sir William
Ashton himself, it having been resolved, on account of the state of Miss
Ashton's health, as it was said, that none save the parties immediately
interested should be present when the parchments were subscribed. It
was further determined that the marriage should be solemnised upon the
fourth day after signing the articles, a measure adopted by Lady Ashton,
in order that Lucy might have as little time as possible to recede or
relapse into intractability. There was no appearance, however, of
her doing either. She heard the proposed arrangement with the calm
indifference of despair, or rather with an apathy arising from the
oppressed and stupified state of her feelings. To an eye so unobserving
as that of Bucklaw, her demeanour had little more of reluctance than
might suit the character of a bashful young lady, who, however, he could
not disguise from himself, was complying with the choice of her friends
rather than exercising any personal predilection in his favour.

When the morning compliment of the bridegroom had been paid, Miss Ashton
was left for some time to herself; her mother remarking, that the deeds
must be signed before the hour of noon, in order that the marriage might
be happy. Lucy suffered herself to be attired for the occasion as the
taste of her attendants suggested, and was of course splendidly arrayed.
Her dress was composed of white satin and Brussels lace, and her
hair arranged with a profusion of jewels, whose lustre made a strange
contrast to the deadly paleness of her complexion, and to the trouble
which dwelt in her unsettled eye.

Her toilette was hardly finished ere Henry appeared, to conduct the
passive bride to the state apartment, where all was prepared for signing
the contract. "Do you know, sister," he said, "I am glad you are to
have Bucklaw after all, instead of Ravenswood, who looked like a Spanish
grandee come to cute our throats and trample our bodies under foot.
And I am glad the broad seas are between us this day,