“DoyouAishaG.JeffersontakeDimitriJatobeyourwfullyweddedhusband,tohaveandtoholdfromthisdayforward,forbetterorforworse,forricherorforpoorer,insiessandih,toloveandcherishtilldeathyoudopart?”
“Ido”repliedAishastaunchlyandresolutely.ShewaousethissteadfastreplytomaotheworldheriiontobeDimitri’swife.ThenturningtoDimitri,theoldpastorasked,
“DoyouDimitriJatakeAishaG.Jeffersontobeyourwfullyweddedwife,tohaveandtoholdfromthisdayforward,forbetterorforworse,forricherorforpoorer,insiessandih,toloveandcherishtilldeathyoudopart?”Embarrassedbythequestion,theexpressionsonDimitri’sfacegedrapidly.Hewasstumpedastohowtoreply.Therewasalothewaounicatetothebeauties,butdidnotknowwheretobegin.Heseemedlikeapersonnotknowinghowtodealainfulsubject.Hetriedtahoughts,carefullychoosingwordsandphrasesthatwouldlesseitwouldsurelyimpart.Butallhiseffortsfailedandhedidnotknowhowtoexpresshimself.Hestumbledalong,hemmingandhawing,tryingtoevadetheissue…
“This…Imean,thatis…Imean,really…toreceivetheaffeofsomanyyouies…itiswaybeyondwhatIdeserve…Ishouldnotrefuse…but…this…Imeanthat…Imeaneveryonehasarighttoseekhishappiness…itisaundeniableright…Ohno,bythatIdonotmeanmyself…Imeanthatallofyouhavethatright,too…anundeniableright…toseekhappiness…yourhappinessisinyournearfuture…itisjustwithinyourreaean…soImean…IamsureyouknowwhatImeanwithoutmyhavingtosayanythingelse…”
“Mr.Ja”interruptedtheoldpastor,impatientathisiramblingsthathadnothingtodowiththeceremony.“Iamaskingyouaverysimplequestion.Youjusthavetoansweryesorno.Sihisisyourweddingandyouhavearrivedatthechurchtoparticipate,theanswerlybe“yes”.SowhenIaskyouthequestionagainyouwon’tbeabletoanswerno.Youlysay,“Ido”.AmIright,Mr.Ja?”Dimitriwasdeeplyembarrassed.Hesmiledawkwardlyandsaid,
“Yessir.Yes,sir.It’sallmyfault.I’msorry…Imean…I…”
“IwilskyouthisquestiononceagainMr.Ja”saidtheoldpastorsternlyandresolutely.“Pleaselistencarefullyandmakeaformalreply…”Hetheon:“DoyouDimitriJatakeAishaG.Jeffersontobeyourwfullyweddedwife,tohaveandtoholdfromthisdayforward,forbetterorforworse,forricherorforpoorer,insiessandih,toloveandcherishtilldeathyoudopart?”Afterasilence,Dimitristilltriedtoevadeananswerbyhesitantrambling,saying
“…Imean…nooneinhisrightmindwouldrefusesuchalovelywife…butImeathattherowsofbeautiesstandingbeforethealtarmustallbestaringunblinkinglyathim,asifurginghimtobequiswerthequestionandbedohit.Hestoppedtryingtoavoidthequestionandsaidloudlyandbluntly,“…youallreallyknowwhatImeanandwhatIwant.Whydoyouwanttoforcemeintothisuntenableposition?”Atthesewords,Aisha’stearsrolleddownhercheeks,butshroudedbytheheavyveilitwasnotapparenttothosearoundher.ForabeautifulwomanofloftypositiontobewillingtomarryapoorhomelesspersonwasanunbelievablefairytaleasimprobableasthestoriesinArabianNights.Thefactthatthemandidnotimmediatelypledgehistrothwasequivalenttorejegher.Hemumbledaated,hemmedandhawed,draggingoutthetimeinterminablytryingtoevadetheissue,whichmadeherfeelextremelyhumiliated.Thenormallypdeasygoingoldpastorwasahisbehavior.HesppedhishandheavilyoableandrebukedDimitriinaloudvoicesaying,
“Mr.Ja,Iamsuspiciousofyourrealidentity.Iamevenmoresuspiciousofyourmentalstability.Nonormalpersonwouldrefusesuadvantageousmarriage.CoulditbethatyouarenotreallyMr.Ja,butsomeonewhohasetomaketroubleandcauseadisturbance?Ifitisso,Iwouldcallthesecurityguardsandhaveyouejectedfromthepremises!”
“Ohno!”calledoutohebeauties.“HeisDimitriJa.Iknowhim.”
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