The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 20: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE MARRIAGE o 3d of July, 1792, and therefore you are a little past twenty- two years old. I suppose your trustees require official proof of your having attained your majority? ”’ ‘Precisely so,’ answered Valentine. “It is a mere matter of form, inasmuch as they are relatives of mine and know full well my exact age. But still it is necessary to have everything regular, and therefore you must give me a certificate.” “To be sure, Mr. Malvern,’’ returned the clerk; and he proceeded to fill up the usual form, which he handed to Valentine. ‘‘ By the bye, sir,” he observed, ‘‘ we are going to have a wedding in a few minutes. I did not know last evening, when I met you in the square and you told me that you required your baptismal certificate, I did not know, I say, that I should have to visit the church for another purpose this morning. Not that marriages are rare at St. George’s, Heaven knows. Quite the contrary. But it was only late last evening that I received the intimation that there was one for this morning; and being a special license, I suppose it is rather a hurried affair,’ added the clerk, in a mysterious whisper; for he was eqidently a man of eartulous propensities, although of kind disposition and inoffensive nature. “Who are the happy pair? ”’ asked Valentine, not choos- ing to offend the worthy man by cutting short the discourse abruptly, but in reality experiencing not the slightest interest in the question which he had just put. “Mr. Horace Sackville and Miss Venetia Trelawney,”’ replied the clerk. ‘‘ Miss Trelawney, you know, is a cele- brated beauty, — indeed, the most lovely woman that ever was seen. So I am informed, at least; for I have never seen her, to my knowledge.”’ ‘“ Nor I, either,’’ observed Valentine. Then, impelled by some undefinable feeling of curiosity, he said, ‘‘I shall remain and witness the ceremony.”’ ‘ Ah! sir,” remarked Jackson, shaking his head solemnly, “ these fashionable marriages that take place in this church often set me a-thinking in a strange way. Ihave seen young and beautiful creatures almost dragged, as it were, to the altar, to bestow their hands upon drivelling dotards old enough to be their grandfathers; and I have afterward watched their career in the world with great interest and 1) GOmiGcdooks (C(O)