Itwasverynecessarytostartearly。LongbeforethegreateyeofthesunwasliftedhighenoughtoglanceintotheWellandvalley，St。Cleevearosefromhisbedinthecabinandpreparedtodepart，cookinghisbreakfastuponalittlestoveinthecorner。Theyoungrabbits，litteredduringtheforegoingsummer，watchedhispreparationsthroughtheopendoorfromthegreydawnwithout，ashebustled，halfdressed，inandoutundertheboughs，andamongtheblackberriesandbramblesthatgrewaround。
Itwasastrangeplaceforabridegroomtoperformhistoiletin，but，consideringtheunconventionalnatureofthemarriage，anotinappropriateone。Whateventshadbeenenactedinthatearthencampsinceitwasfirstthrownup，nobodycouldsay;buttheprimitivesimplicityoftheyoungman’spreparationsaccordedwellwiththeprehistoricspotonwhichtheyweremade。Embeddedunderhisfeetwerepossiblyevennowrudetrinketsthathadbeenwornatbridalceremoniesoftheearlyinhabitants。Littlesignifiedthoseceremoniesto—day，orthehappinessorotherwiseofthecontractingparties。Thathisownrite，nevertheless，signifiedmuch，wastheinconsequentreasoningofSwithin，asitisofmanyanotherbridegroombesides;andhe，liketherest，wentonwithhispreparationsinthatmoodwhichseesinhisstalerepetitionthewondrouspossibilitiesofanuntriedmove。
Thenthroughthewetcobwebs，thathunglikemovablediaphragmsoneachbladeandbough，hepushedhiswaydowntothefurrowwhichledfromthesecludedfir—treeislandtothewideworldbeyondthefield。
Hewasnotastrangertoenterprise，andstilllesstothecontemplationofenterprise;butanenterprisesuchasthishehadneverevenoutlined。Thathisdearladywastroubledatthesituationhehadplacedherinbynotgoinghimselfonthaterrand，hecouldseefromherletter;but，believinganimmediatemarriagewithhertobethetruewayofrestoringtoboththatequanimitynecessarytoserenephilosophy，hehelditoflittleaccounthowthemarriagewasbroughtabout，andhappilybeganhisjourneytowardsherplaceofsojourn。
Hepassedthroughalittlecopsebeforeleavingtheparish，thesmokefromnewlylitfiresrisinglikethestemsofbluetreesoutofthefewcottagechimneys。Hereheheardaquick，familiarfootstepinthepathaheadofhim，and，turningthecornerofthebushes，confrontedthefoot—postonhiswaytoWelland。InanswertoSt。Cleeve’sinquiryiftherewasanythingforhimselfthepostmanhandedoutoneletter，andproceededonhisroute。