other.”  This tolerably reconciled the elders.  But with the young people all was merriment, and shakings of hands, and congratulations, and kissing away the bride’s tears, and kissings from her in return, till a young lady, who assumed some experience in these matters, having worn the nuptial bands some four or five weeks longer than her friend, rescued her, archly observing, with half an eye upon the bridegroom, that at this rate she would have “none left.”

My friend the admiral was in fine wig and buckle on this occasion—­a striking contrast to his usual neglect of personal appearance.  He did not once shove up his borrowed locks (his custom ever at his morning studies) to betray the few grey stragglers of his own beneath them.  He wore an aspect of thoughtful satisfaction.  I trembled for the hour, which at length approached, when after a protracted breakfast of three hours—­if stores of cold fowls, tongues, hams, botargoes, dried fruits, wines, cordials, &c., can deserve so meagre an appellation—­the coach was announced, which was come to carry off the bride and bridegroom for a season, as custom has sensibly ordained, into the country; upon which design, wishing them a felicitous journey, let us return to the assembled guests.

  As when a well-graced actor leaves the stage,
  The eyes of men
  Are idly bent on him that enters next,

so idly did we bend our eyes upon one another, when the chief performers in the morning’s pageant had vanished.  None told his tale.  None sipt her glass.  The poor Admiral made an effort—­it was not much.  I had anticipated so far.  Even the infinity of full satisfaction, that had betrayed itself through the prim looks and quiet deportment of his lady, began to wane into something of misgiving.  No one knew whether to take their leaves or stay.  We seemed assembled upon a silly occasion.  In this crisis, betwixt tarrying and departure, I must do justice to a foolish talent of mine, which had otherwise like to have brought me into disgrace in the fore-part of the day; I mean a power, in any emergency, of thinking and giving vent to all manner of strange nonsense.  In this awkward dilemma I found it sovereign.  I rattled off some of my most excellent absurdities.  All were willing to be relieved, at any expense of reason, from the pressure of the intolerable vacuum which had succeeded to the morning bustle.  By this means I was fortunate in keeping together the better part of the company to a late hour:  and a rubber of whist (the Admiral’s favourite game) with some rare strokes of chance as well as skill, which came opportunely on his side—­lengthened out till midnight—­dismissed the old gentleman at last to his bed with comparatively easy spirits.