Chapter 19 - Page 2

poppy-colored breeches, copper buckles,
flowered waistcoat, clouded stockings, thread gloves, black pumps, and
white beaver hat. What a number of bridegrooms and uncles of
bridegrooms our friend had been in this traditional attire! He looked
superb, with his beaming face, his close-shaven chin, and blue cheeks,
and his laughing eyes and rosy lips.

Madame Caterna was quite as glorious in her array. She had easily
discovered a bridesmaid's costume in her wardrobe, bodice with
intercrossing stripes, short petticoat in green woolen, mauve
stockings, straw hat with artificial flowers, a suspicion of black on
the eyelids and of rouge on the cheeks. There you have the provincial
stage beauty, and if she and her husband like to play a village piece
after the breakfast, I can promise them bravos enough.

It was at nine o'clock that this marriage was to take place, announced
by the bell of the tender, which was to sound full clang as if it were
a chapel bell. With a little imagination, we could believe we were in a
village. But whither did this bell invite the witnesses and guests?
Into the dining car, which had been conveniently arranged for the
ceremony, as I had taken good care.

It was no longer a dining car; it was a hall car, if the expression is
admissible. The big table had been taken away, and replaced by a small
table which served as a desk. A few flowers bought at Tchertchen had
been arranged in the corners of the car, which was large enough to hold
nearly all who wished to be present--and those who could not get inside
could look on from the gangways.

That all the passengers might know what was going on, we had put up a
notice at the doors of the first and second-class cars, couched in the
following terms:

"Mr. Fulk Ephrinell, of the firm of Messrs. Strong, Bulbul & Co., of
New York City, has the honor to invite you to his wedding with Miss
Horatia Bluett, of the firm of Messrs. Holmes-Holme, London, which will
take place in the dining car on this the 22d of May, at nine o'clock
precisely. The Reverend Nathaniel Morse, of Boston, U.S.A., will
officiate.

"Miss Horatia Bluett, of the firm of Messrs. Holmes-Holme, of London,
has the honor to invite you to her wedding with Mr. Fulk Ephrinell, of
the firm of Messrs. Strong, Bulbul & Co., of New York City, etc., etc."

If I do not make half a dozen pars out of all this I am no newspaper
man!

Meanwhile I learn from Popof the precise spot where the ceremony will
take place.

Popof points it out on the map. It is a hundred and fifty kilometres
from Tcharkalyk station, in the middle of the desert, amid the plains
which are traversed by a little stream which flows into the Lob Nor.