Madge and Gower came to Stoneridge on their road to London three days before their union.  Madge had no fear of Ines, but said:  ’I never let Mr. Gower out of my sight.’  Perforce of studying him with the thirsty wonder consequent upon his proposal to her, she had got fast hold of the skirts of his character; she ’knew he was happy because he was always making her laugh at herself.’  Her manner of saying, ’She hoped to give him a comfortable home, so that he might never be sorry for what he had done,’ was toned as in a church, beautiful to her mistress.  Speaking of my lord’s great kindness, her eyes yearned for a second and fell humbly.  She said of Kit Ives, ’He’s found a new “paytron,” Sarah says Mr. Woodseer tells her, my lady.  It’s another nobleman, Lord Brailstone, has come into money lately and hired him for his pugilist when it’s not horseracing.’  Gower spoke of thanks to Lord Fleetwood for the independence allowing him to take a wife and settle to work in his little Surrey home.  He, too, showed he could have said more and was advised not to push at a shut gate.  My lord would attend their wedding as well as my lady, Carinthia heard from Madge; counting it a pity that wealthy noblemen had no professions to hinder the doing of unprofitable things.

Her sensibility was warmer on the wedding-day of these two dear ones.  He graced the scene, she admitted, when reassured by his perfect reserve toward her personally.  He was the born nobleman in his friendliness with the bridal pair and respectfulness to Mr. Woodseer.  High social breeding is an exquisite performance on the instrument we are, and his behaviour to her left her mind at liberty for appreciation of it.  Condescension was not seen, his voice had no false note.  During the ceremony his eyelids blinked rapidly.  At the close, he congratulated the united couple, praising them each for the wisdom of their choice.  He said to his countess: 

‘This is one of the hopeful marriages; chiefly of your making.’

She replied:  ‘My prayers will be for them always.’

‘They are fortunate who have your prayers,’ he said, and turned to Sarah Winch.  She was to let him know when she also had found her ’great philosopher.’  Sarah was like a fish on a bank, taking gasps at the marvel of it all; she blushed the pale pink of her complexion, and murmured of ‘happiness.’  Gower had gone headlong into happiness, where philosophers are smirkers and mouthers of ordinary stuff.  His brightest remark was to put the question to his father:  ’The three good things of the Isle of Britain?’ and treble the name of Madge Woodseer for a richer triad than the Glamorgan man could summon.  Pardonably foolish; but mindful of a past condition of indiscipline, Nature’s philosopher said to the old minister:  ‘Your example saved me for this day at a turn of my road, sir.’  Nature’s poor wild scholar paid that tribute to the regimental sectarian.  Enough for proud philosophy to have done the thing