During this time the officiating clergymen had put on their sacerdotal robes, and the priest, accompanied by the deacon, came to the lectern placed at the entrance of the sacred doors. The priest addressed a few words to Levin; but Levin failed to understand what he said.
"Take the bride's hand and go forward," whispered his best man to him.
For a long time he was unable to make out what was expected of him. For a long time they tried to coach him and were ready to give it up, because he did the opposite of what he was told. Finally, he comprehended that he was to take Kitty's right hand with his right hand, without changing his position. When at last he took his bride by her hand in the proper way, the priest advanced a few steps, and stopped in front of the lectern. The relatives and invited guests followed the young couple with a murmur of voices and a rustling of trains. Some one stooped down to arrange the bride's train; in the church, a silence so profound reigned that the drops of wax could be heard falling from the candles.
The old priest, in a calotte, his white hair shining like silver, drawn back behind his ears, drew forth his little wrinkled hands from beneath his heavy silver chasuble, ornamented with a cross of gold, approached the lectern, and turned over the leaves of the missal.
Stepan Arkadyevitch came softly and spoke in his ear, made a sign to Levin, and then stepped back.
The priest hghted two candles decorated with flowers, and, holding them slanting in his left hand, so that the wax slowly fell from them, turned toward the young couple. It was the same old man who had heard Levin's confession. He looked at the bride and bridegroom out of his sad, weary eyes, and then, with a sigh, blessed Levin with his right hand; then, with especial tenderness, placed his fingers on Kitty's bended head, gave them the candles, and taking the censer moved quietly away.
"Is this all real?" thought Levin, and he glanced at his bride. He looked down somewhat from above on her profile, and by the motion of her lips and her eye
