Old Bellrope, the sexton and verger, who, "man and boy," had witnessed many nuptials celebrated in the venerable cathedral, solemnly asseverated that he had never before set eye upon so beautiful a couple! To do due honours to the ceremony, he had newly purchased a verger's gown, and wore a purple cloth coat, waistcoat, and indispensables, which had appertained in the olden time to some pious bishop of defunct celebrity. His wig was very commendably frizzed, thanks to the skill and indefatigability of Madam Bellrope, and looked unusually gay, from a judicious distribution of a successful foray made upon the drudging-box by the said thrifty dame, so that it provoked a remark from Sandy Rakeweel, the gardener at the castle, an honest old Caledonian devoid of guile:--"That indeed auld Bellrope's peruke for a' the warld remeended him o' aine of his awn kale plants in fu' flower in the middle o' August." The noble procession entered the cathedral porch, where being duly marshalled in meet heraldic pomp, rank, and file, the distinguished persons proceeded along the venerable nave. Lady Adelaide was arrayed in a silver tissue, a splendid tiara of pearls, in form of a shamrock-wreath, encircled her noble brow, with ear-rings of the same, and on her lovely neck she wore "a rich and orient carcanet."[2] Sir David Bruce, with firm and dignified step and gesture, advanced, leading onward by the hand to the bridal altar the lovely Lady Adelaide, her eye beaming with all the radiance of intelligence and of genius, while the deep glow of health and the blush of modesty mantled her beauteous cheek as she approached the sacred altar, the gaze, delight, and admiration of all, high and low, who beheld her. Her graceful, but bashful step, and her modest mien, reminded the spectator of Milton's fine description of Eve, when "Onward she came, led by her heav'nly Maker," &c. [Footnote 2: Carcanet, the diminutive of _carcan_, a chain;--it means a necklace.] As pure and spotless Adelaide stepped to the holy altar. But it was impossible to withhold the veneration and admiration called forth by the appearance, voice, manner, and noble countenance of the good bishop, who, indeed, more than seemed "the beauty of holiness," while with a clear, distinct, and dignified intonation of voice, he read the sacred service.