Great Expectations

As the gloves were white kid gloves, and as the post-office was widened

to its utmost extent, I now began to have my strong suspicions. They

were strengthened into certainty when I beheld the Aged enter at a side

door, escorting a lady.

"Halloa!" said Wemmick. "Here's Miss Skiffins! Let's have a wedding."

That discreet damsel was attired as usual, except that she was now

engaged in substituting for her green kid gloves a pair of white. The

Aged was likewise occupied in preparing a similar sacrifice for

the altar of Hymen. The old gentleman, however, experienced so much

difficulty in getting his gloves on, that Wemmick found it necessary

to put him with his back against a pillar, and then to get behind the

pillar himself and pull away at them, while I for my part held the old

gentleman round the waist, that he might present and equal and safe

resistance. By dint of this ingenious scheme, his gloves were got on to

perfection.

The clerk and clergyman then appearing, we were ranged in order at

those fatal rails. True to his notion of seeming to do it all without

preparation, I heard Wemmick say to himself, as he took something out of

his waistcoat-pocket before the service began, "Halloa! Here's a ring!"

I acted in the capacity of backer, or best-man, to the bridegroom; while

a little limp pew-opener in a soft bonnet like a baby's, made a feint

of being the bosom friend of Miss Skiffins. The responsibility of giving

the lady away devolved upon the Aged, which led to the clergyman's being

unintentionally scandalized, and it happened thus. When he said, "Who

giveth this woman to be married to this man?" the old gentlemen, not in

the least knowing what point of the ceremony we had arrived at, stood

most amiably beaming at the ten commandments. Upon which, the clergyman

said again, "WHO giveth this woman to be married to this man?" The old

gentleman being still in a state of most estimable unconsciousness, the

bridegroom cried out in his accustomed voice, "Now Aged P. you know; who

giveth?" To which the Aged replied with great briskness, before saying

that he gave, "All right, John, all right, my boy!" And the clergyman

came to so gloomy a pause upon it, that I had doubts for the moment

whether we should get completely married that day.

It was completely done, however, and when we were going out of church

Wemmick took the cover off the font, and put his white gloves in it, and

put the cover on again. Mrs. Wemmick, more heedful of the future, put

her white gloves in her pocket and assumed her green. "Now, Mr. Pip,"

said Wemmick, triumphantly shouldering the fishing-rod as we came

out, "let me ask you whether anybody would suppose this to be a

wedding-party!"