11

ALL SAINTS' AND ALL SOULS'

On a week-day morning a small congregation, consisting mainly of women and girls, rose from its knees in the church called All Saints'. They were about to disperse, when a smart footstep, entering the porch and coming up the central passage, arrested their attention. Everybody looked. A young cavalry soldier in a red uniform strode up the aisle, with an embarrassment which was only the more marked by the determination upon his face to show none. A slight flush mounted his cheek but he never paused till he came close to the altar railing. Here for a moment he stood alone. ‘Tis a wedding!’ murmured some of the women, brightening. ‘Let's wait!’ The majority again sat down. There was a creaking of machinery with a quarter-jack and small bell beneath it, the automaton being driven by the same clock machinery that struck the large bell in the tower. The jack had struck half-past eleven. ‘Where's the woman?’ whispered some of the spectators. The young sergeant was as silent as he was still. The silence grew to be a noticeable thing as the minutes went on, and nobody else appeared, and not a soul moved. The rattle of the quarter-jack again, its blows for three quarters, caused many of the congregation to start that artificial coughing which betrays a nervous suspense. But the soldier never moved. There he stood, upright as a column, his cap in his hand. The clock ticked on. The women threw off their nervousness, and giggling became more frequent. Then came a dead silence. Everyone was waiting for the end. The sergeant had not yet turned; every woman in the church was waiting to see his face, and he appeared to know it. At last he did turn, and stalked resolutely down the nave, braving them all. Opposite the church was a paved square. The young man on leaving the door went to cross the square, when, in the middle, he met a woman. The expression of her face, which had been one of intense anxiety, sank at the sight of his nearly to terror. ‘Well?’ he said. ‘O, Frank – I made a mistake – I thought that church with the spire was All Saints', and I was at the door at half-past eleven to a minute as you said. I waited till a quarter to twelve, and found then that I was in All Souls'. But I wasn't much frightened, for I thought it could be tomorrow as well.’ ‘Shall it be tomorrow, Frank?’ she asked. ‘Tomorrow! I don't go through that experience again forsome time’. ‘But after all,’ she expostulated in a trembling voice, ‘the mistake was not such a terrible thing! Now, dear Frank, when shall it be?’ ‘Ah, when? God knows!’ he said, and turning from her walked rapidly away. adapted by Pearson

1. When the soldier entered the church,

While the soldier was waiting in the church

The woman felt most frightened when she 

DON'T SPOIL YOUR BIG DAY

Your wedding day should be the happiest day of your life but it can also be one of the most stressful and expensive days too. How can you make sure your wedding day is unforgettable for the right reasons? Firstly, consider your budget carefully. Yes, a wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime experience but you don’t want to be paying for it for the rest of your life. The most important thing is that it is the day when two people who love each other are joined together as one. That will happen whether you have a small party in your home town for your immediate family and close friends or if you get married on a Caribbean beach. Secondly, the more special and unique your wedding day is, the more can go wrong. In your local town, you will probably know caterers, photographers and DJs who you can trust. All the people on your guest list will be able to afford to come. Things may go wrong but they won’t be major disasters and will be the sort of things you can laugh at in the future. If you travel somewhere exotic, you may have delayed or cancelled flights, upset stomachs or extreme weather conditions that could completely ruin your big day. Special friends may not be there because of the cost or lack of time. Whatever you decide, make sure it is a joint decision. Both sets of parents can be consulted for advice, especially if they are paying for it. However, it isn’t their day and they shouldn’t dictate to the bride and groom who is going to be invited or any other details. Finally, your wedding is the first day of your married life. Whatever happens, try to enjoy it.

4.According to the writer, getting married abroad

Overall, the writer’s opinion could be summed up by saying

First-borns,..................... are used to being given responsibility, make great leaders.

This is the lady ................I told you about.

The person ................ car is parked over there can’t be a very good driver.

They went to Greece, ............... he proposed to her.

People ..............laugh at such jokes are simply insensitive.

After a year we had our first child,..........was a wonderful experience.

She invited grandma to dinner,................ turned out to be a very bad idea.