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Hichens, Robert Smythe, 1864-1950

"The Garden of Allah"

Amen_."
He said this without looking at the man and woman who stood before him,
the man on the right hand and the woman on the left, but when he lifted
his hand to sprinkle them with holy water he could not forbear glancing
at them, and he saw Domini as a shining radiance, but Androvsky as a
thing of stone. With a movement that seemed to the priest sinister in
its oppressed deliberation, Androvsky placed gold and silver upon the
book and the marriage ring.
The priest spoke again, slowly, in the uproar of the wind, after
blessing the ring:
"_Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini_."
After the reply the "_Domine, exaudi orationem meam_," the "_Et
clamor_," the "_Dominus vobiscum_," and the "_Et cum spiritu tuo_," the
"_Oremus_," and the prayer following, he sprinkled the ring with holy
water in the form of a cross and gave it to Androvsky to give with gold
and silver to Domini. Androvsky took the ring, repeated the formula,
"With this ring," etc., then still, as it seemed to the priest, with
the same sinister deliberation, placed it on the thumb of the bride's
uncovered hand, saying, "_In the name of the Father_," then on her
second finger, saying, "_Of the Son_," then on her third finger, saying,
"_Of the Holy Ghost_," then on her fourth finger.


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