Theirs was an unguent
hard to be swallowed; but hers was that unguent embittered and
overheated until nature could not longer bear it. She had imbibed
her ideas from the doctrines of one flaming predestinarian divine
alone; and these were so rigid that they became a stumbling block
to many of his brethren, and a mighty handle for the enemies of
his party to turn the machine of the state against them.
The wedding festivities at Dalcastle partook of all the gaiety, not
of that stern age, but of one previous to it. There was feasting,
dancing, piping, and singing: the liquors were handed, around in
great fulness, the ale in large wooden bickers, and the brandy in
capacious horns of oxen. The laird gave full scope to his homely
glee. He danced--he snapped his fingers to the music--clapped his
hands and shouted at the turn of the tune. He saluted every girl in
the hall whose appearance was anything tolerable, and requested
of their sweethearts to take the same freedom with his bride, by
way of retaliation. But there she sat at the head of the hall in still
and blooming beauty, absolutely refusing to tread a single
measure with any gentleman there.
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