The approaching marriage of this woman of the world with such an unworldly man as Mr. Ellenwood was announced soon after Mrs. Dabney 's return to her native city . Superficial observers , and deeper ones , seemed to concur in supposing that the lady must have borne no inactive part in arranging the affair ; there were considerations of expediency which she would be far more likely to appreciate than Mr. Ellenwood , and there was just the specious phantom of sentiment and romance in this late union of two early lovers which sometimes makes a fool of a woman who has lost her true feelings among the accidents of life . All the wonder was how the gentleman , with his lack of worldly wisdom and agonizing consciousness of ridicule , could have been induced to take a measure at once so prudent and so laughable . But while people talked the wedding-day arrived . The ceremony was to be solemnized according to the Episcopalian forms and in open church , with a degree of publicity that attracted many spectators , who occupied the front seats of the galleries and the pews near the altar and along the broad aisle . It had been arranged , or possibly it was the custom of the day , that the parties should proceed separately to church . By some accident the bridegroom was a little less punctual than the widow and her bridal attendants , with whose arrival , after this tedious but necessary preface , the action of our tale may be said to commence . The clumsy wheels of several old-fashioned coaches were heard , and the gentlemen and ladies composing the bridal-party came through the church door with the sudden and gladsome effect of a burst of sunshine . The whole group , except the principal figure , was made up of youth and gayety . As they streamed up the broad aisle , while the pews and pillars seemed to brighten on either side , their steps were as buoyant as if they mistook the church for a ball-room and were ready to dance hand in hand to the altar . So brilliant was the spectacle that few took notice of a singular phenomenon that had marked its entrance . At the moment when the bride 's foot touched the threshold the bell swung heavily in the tower above her and sent forth its deepest knell . The vibrations died away , and returned with prolonged solemnity as she entered the body of the church . `` Good heavens ! What an omen ! '' whispered a young lady to her lover . `` On my honor , '' replied the gentleman , `` I believe the bell has the good taste to toll of its own accord . What has she to do with weddings ? If you , dearest Julia , were approaching the altar , the bell would ring out its merriest peal . It has only a funeral-knell for her . ''
The bride and most of her company had been too much occupied XXXXX the bustle of entrance to hear the first boding stroke of the bell -- or , at least , to reflect on the singularity of such a welcome to the altar .
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