214 



MEXICO. 



marriage, his penitence, and the wonderful kind- 

 ness of the church. 



The interest I took in the question throughout, 

 induced Don N. to invite me to the wedding. 

 The ceremony did not diifer essentially from our 

 own: there was, however, much crossing with 

 holy water, consecrated with great ceremony in 

 our presence : the prayers were read in so rapid 

 and mumbling a style, that I could not, for a long 

 time, discover whether they were in Spanish or in 

 Latin. There was, as usual, abundance of wine 

 and cakes ; and it was truly exhilarating to mark 

 the relish with which the good fathers drained 

 their glasses. 



The Novios, as the bride and bridegroom are 

 called, were silent and attentive, but I was the 

 only other person in the room who was so during 

 the whole ceremony ; every one else being employ- 

 ed in laughing or whispering to his neighbour ; 

 even the officiating priest was scarcely serious; 

 and at the conclusion, when he shut the book, 

 and the ceremony was considered as over, he said 

 something ludicrous and appropriate to the cir- 

 cumstances, but in the same tone he had used in 



