25.5.2009
2
2
It had been a full day. The guests had left, and they were alone in the house in the bedroom. He was one of a kind, John. So it seemed to Violet then. What ideas he could get. Sometimes he reminded her of a little boy who wanted to play with her, as if she were a little girl. She, in fact, thought this was great fun and went along with John's ways. It was exactly then that she first got the idea that John was not quite sane, had a screw loose, but she quickly concluded that he was only mildly loony, as it was called.
In the bedroom, in front of the big mirror John had arranged a coffee table covered with a white cloth that reached to the floor. A vase with seven red roses was on the table, a bottle of champagne and two glasses and two large candlesticks and a box of matches. Also, there was a Bible on the table, open, with a book marker resting on it. In front of the table, to one side, was a black leather chair.
John lead Violet into the bedroom. Two table lamps with yellow and blue shades cast dull light into the room and onto the white silk coverlet on the marriage bed. There was a comfortable, fresh smell there. They stopped just inside the door and examined their reflection in the large mirror on one side of the bed. They were excited and felt no fatigue despite a long and event-packed day. Violet smiled at John and leaned against him. Then she said: "My love, haven't we had enough of ceremonies?"
He pressed her against him and whispered in her ear, "Violet, you know that I'm a little eccentric, but I promise that this will be a very short ceremony."
She smiled and he lead her to the black leather chair. Then he arranged her bridal veil as if he were preparing her for a photograph.
He picked up the Bible and read a verse from it: "In the beginning, God created the earth, and the earth was barren and empty." He closed the Bible and laid it down. Then he kneeled before his bride, took her hand and said in a low, convincing voice: "I love thee, Madame Violet."
She looked at him absolutely thrilled by his words.
Then he continued: "I worship thee, Madame Violet, I adore thee and will love thee and protect thine every foot step." He stood up and pulled her toward him, and they wept. He opened the champagne and filled the glasses. "Cheers, my love," he said, and they toasted each other. The ceremony was finished. They put out the candles and went into the living room.
"That was short," she said when they were seated.
He looked at her, and she said: "It is good to belong to someone, someone who loves you and thinks you are magnificent." She moved up tight against him. After a moment they both started to laugh, reached for their champagne, and made light of what they had been doing and saying.