The Parsees kept their religious affairs to themselves, and the party were
not to "assist" at the ceremony, which would have been an extra inducement
to attend. Promptly at the hour named the carriages set the tourists and
their volunteer guides down at the magnificent mansion of the father of the
young man who was to enter the marriage state that evening.
The street in the vicinity of the house was brilliantly illuminated, and it
was covered over with an awning, from which no end of ornamental lamps were
suspended. Behind a mass of flowers--cartloads of them--a foreign orchestra
was placed. As the carriages stopped at the door, the band began a military
march, whose inspiring strains seemed to give an additional lustre to the
elaborate decorations. It was easy for the guests to believe that they had
been introduced into the midst of a fairy scene. Sahib Perbut appeared at
the door as soon as the vehicles stopped, and took his lordship by the
hand, and each of the guests were presented to him as they alighted. The
host was not an old man, as the strangers expected to find him, since he
had a son who was old enough to get married.
He was very richly dressed, and he was a gentleman of unbounded suavity.
Taking Mrs. Belgrave by the hand, he conducted her into the house, the rest
of the party forming a procession behind them.
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