“Well, I've heard Nudity is not the cheese on public occasions: but why not go dressed like a lady as she always does, only with white gloves; and be married without any bother and nonsense.” “You talk like a boy,” said Mrs. Dodd. “I could not bear it. My poor child!” and she cast a look of tenderest pity on the proposed victim. “Well, suppose we make the poor child the judge,” suggested Edward. He then put it to Julia whether, under the circumstances, she would wish them to run in debt, buying her finery to wear for a day. “It was not fair to ask _her,_” said Mrs. Dodd with a sigh. Julia blushed and hesitated, and said she would be candid; and then stopped. “Ugh!” ejaculated Edward. “This is a bad beginning. Girl's candour! Now for a masterpiece of duplicity.” Julia inquired how he dared; and Mrs. Dodd said warmly that Julia was not like other people, she could be candid; had actually done it, more than once, within her recollection. The young lady justified the exception as follows: “If I was going to be married to myself, or to some gentleman I did not care for, I would not spend a shilling. But I am going to marry _him;_ and so--oh, Edward, think of them saying, 'What has he married? a dowdy: why she hadn't new things on to go to church with him: no bonnet, no wreath, no new white dress!' To mortify him the very first day of our----” The sentence remained unfinished, but two lovely eyes filled to the very brim without running over, and completed the sense, and did the Viceroy's business, though a brother. “Why you dear little goose,” said he: “of course, I don't mean that. I have as good as got the things we must buy; and those are a new bonnet----” “Ah!” “A wreath of orange blossoms----” “Oh you good boy!” “Four pair of gloves: two white--one is safe to break--two dark; very dark: invisible green, or visible black; last the honeymoon. All the rest you must find in the house.” “What, fit her out with a parcel of old things? so cruel, so unreasonable, dear Edward?” “Old things! Why, where is all your gorgeous attire from Oriental climes? I see the splendiferous articles arrive, and then they vanish for ever.” “Now, shawls and Indian muslins! pray what use are they to a bride?” “Why, what looks nicer than a white muslin dress?” “Married in muslin? The very idea makes me shiver.” “Well, clap her on another petticoat.” “How can you be so childish? Muslin is not the _the thing._” “No more is running in debt.” He then suggested that a white shawl or two should be cut into a bridal dress. At this both ladies' fair throats opened on him with ridicule: cut fifty guinea shawls into ten-pound dresses; that was male economy! was it? Total, a wedding was a wedding: new things always _had_ had to be bought for a wedding, and always would _in secula seculorum._