After the noonday meal, on the day of Captain Horn's departure, Mrs. Cliff went apart with Maka and Cheditafa, and there endeavored to find out, as best she might, the ideas and methods of the latter in regard to the matrimonial service. In spite of the combined efforts of the two, with their limited command of English, to make her understand how these things were done in the forests and wilds of the Dark Continent, she could not decide whether the forms of the Episcopal Church, those of the Baptists, or those of the Quakers, could be more easily assimilated with the previous notions of Cheditafa on the subject. But having been married herself, she thought she knew very well what was needed, and so, without endeavoring to persuade the negro priest that his opinions regarding the marriage rites1 were all wrong, or to make him understand what sort of a wedding she would have had if they had all been in their own land, she endeavored to impress upon his mind the forms and phrases of a very simple ceremony, which she believed would embody2 all that was necessary.
Cheditafa was a man of considerable intelligence, and the feeling that he was about to perform such an important ceremony for the benefit of such a great man as Captain Horn filled his soul with pride and a strong desire to acquit3 himself creditably in this honorable function, and he was able before very long to satisfy Mrs. Cliff that, with Maka's assistance as prompting clerk, he might be trusted to go through the ceremony without serious mistake.
She was strongly of the opinion that if she conducted the marriage ceremony it would be far better in every way than such a performance by a coal-black heathen; but as she knew that her offices would not count for anything in a civilized4 world, whereas the heathen ministry5 might be considered satisfactory, she accepted the situation, and kept her opinions to herself.
The wedding took place about six o'clock in the afternoon, on the plateau in front of the great stone face, at a spot where the projecting rocks cast a shade upon the heated ground. Cheditafa, attired6 in the best suit of clothes which could be made up from contributions from all his fellow-countrymen present, stood on the edge of the line of shadow, his hands clasped, his head slightly bowed, his bright eyes glancing from side to side, and his face filled with an expression of anxiety to observe everything and make no mistakes. Maka stood near him, and behind the two, in the brilliant sunlight, were grouped the other negroes, all very attentive7 and solemn, looking a little frightened, as if they were not quite sure that sacrifices were not customary on such occasions.
Captain Horn stood, tall and erect8, his jacket a little torn, but with an air of earnest dignity upon his handsome, sunburnt features, which, with his full dark beard and rather long hair, gave him the appearance of an old-time chieftain about to embark9 upon some momentous10 enterprise. By his side was Edna Markham, pale, and dressed in the simple gown in which she had left the ship, but as beautiful, in the eyes of Mrs. Cliff, as if she had been arrayed in orange-blossoms and white satin.
[Illustration: Reverently11 the two answered the simple questions which were put to them.]
Reverently the two answered the simple questions which were put to them, and made the necessary promises, and slowly and carefully, and in very good English, Cheditafa pronounced them man and wife. Mrs. Cliff then produced a marriage certificate, written with a pencil, as nearly as she could remember, in the words of her own document of that nature, on a leaf torn from the captain's note-book, and to this she signed Cheditafa's name, to which the African, under her directions, affixed12 his mark. Then Ralph and Mrs. Cliff signed as witnesses, and the certificate was delivered to Edna.
"Now," said the captain, "I will go aboard."
The whole party, Edna and the captain a little in the lead, walked down to the beach, where the boat lay, ready to be launched. During the short walk Captain Horn talked rapidly and earnestly to Edna, confining his remarks, however, to directions and advice as to what should be done until he returned, or, still more important, as to what should be done if he did not return at all.
When they reached the beach, the captain shook hands with Edna, Mrs. Cliff, and Ralph, and then, turning to Cheditafa, he informed him that that lady, pointing to Edna, was now the mistress of himself and Mok, and that every word of command she gave them must be obeyed exactly as if he had given it to them himself. He was shortly coming back, he said, and when he saw them again, their reward should depend entirely14 upon the reports he should receive of their conduct.
"But I know," said he, "that you are a good man, and that I can trust you, and I will hold you responsible for Mok."
This was the end of the leave-taking. The captain stepped into his boat and took the oars15. Then the four negroes, two on a side, ran out the little craft as far as possible through the surf, and then, when they had scrambled16 on board, the captain pulled out into smooth water.
Hoisting17 his little sail, and seating himself in the stern, with the tiller in his hand, he brought the boat round to the wind. Once he turned toward shore and waved his hat, and then he sailed away toward the western sky.
Mrs. Cliff and Ralph walked together toward the caves, leaving Edna alone upon the beach.
"Well," said Ralph, "this is the first wedding I ever saw, but I must say it is rather different from my idea of that sort of thing. I thought that people always kissed at such affairs, and there was general jollification and cake, but this seemed more like a newfangled funeral, with the dear departed acting18 as his own Charon and steering19 himself across the Styx."
"He might have kissed her," said Mrs. Cliff, thoughtfully. "But you see, Ralph, everything had to be very different from ordinary weddings. It was a very peculiar20 case."
"I should hope so," said the boy,—"the uncommoner21 the better. In fact, I shouldn't call it a wedding at all. It seemed more like taking a first degree in widowhood."
"Ralph," said Mrs. Cliff, "that is horrible. Don't you ever say anything like that again. I hope you are not going to distress22 your sister with such remarks."
"You need not say anything about Edna!" he exclaimed. "I shall not worry her with any criticisms of the performance. The fact is, she will need cheering up, and if I can do it I will. She's captain now, and I'll stand up for her like a good fellow."
Edna stood on the beach, gazing out on the ocean illuminated23 by the rays of the setting sun, keeping her eyes fixed13 on the captain's boat until it became a mere24 speck25. Then, when it had vanished entirely among the lights and shades of the evening sea, she still stood a little while and watched. Then she turned and slowly walked up to the plateau. Everything there was just as she had known it for weeks. The great stone face seemed to smile in the last rays of the setting sun. Mrs. Cliff came to meet her, her face glowing with smiles, and Ralph threw his arms around her neck and kissed her, without, however, saying a word about that sort of thing having been omitted in the ceremony of the afternoon.
"My dear Edna," exclaimed Mrs. Cliff, "from the bottom of my heart I congratulate you! No matter how we look at it, a rare piece of good fortune has come to you."
Edna gazed at her for a moment, and then she answered quietly, "Oh, yes, it was a fine thing, no matter what happens. If he does not come back, I shall make a bold stroke for widowhood; and if he does come back, he is bound, after all this, to give me a good share of that treasure. So, you see, we have done the best we can do to be rich and happy, if we are not so unlucky as to perish among these rocks and sand."
"She is almost as horrible as Ralph," thought Mrs. Cliff, "but she will get over it."
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1
rites
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| 仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 ) | |
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embody
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| vt.具体表达，使具体化；包含，收录 | |
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acquit
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| vt.宣判无罪；(oneself)使(自己)表现出 | |
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civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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6
attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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9
embark
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| vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机 | |
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10
momentous
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| adj.重要的，重大的 | |
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reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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12
affixed
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| adj.[医]附着的，附着的v.附加( affix的过去式和过去分词 )；粘贴；加以；盖（印章） | |
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13
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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14
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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15
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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16
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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17
hoisting
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| 起重，提升 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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19
steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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21
uncommoner
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| uncommon（不寻常的）的比较级形式 | |
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22
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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23
illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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24
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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