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By Root 490 0

in time for the procession. But now his tubby body was hidden, by the most ornate costume in the vault. His frame was concealed under numerous silks, overlapping robes of glittering gold and green, neutral colours in this war between red-and‐black and blue-and‐white. He looked like one of the stage magicians of Vienna, in oversized sleeves and with an oversized train at his heels. But what really seized the attention was the mask. This stout, clownish man had never worn a mask before, and yet now he wore one which could hardly have failed to make an impression. It was the mask of an ape. It was grotesque and exaggerated, its jaws wide open, presenting the assembly with a gaping black maw where a human face should be. The mask was fashioned out of genuine grey fur, the eyes gleaming red spheres, like polished billiard balls.

At first it seemed like the height of bad taste. But then this ape-faced newcomer moved towards the table-altar, with a determination that convinced those assembled to make way for him. By now even the Doctor and Scarlette were watching, blank-faced and slightly thrown. The ape-guest stepped right up to the stairs, at the feet of the bewildered priest, and there he made what can only be described as ‘eye contact’ with Scarlette. For some moments he looked her dead in the face, like a staring contest with only one genuine pair of eyes.

When the ape eventually lost the staring contest, by taking a deep and respectful bow to this bride who wore red, the guests must have breathed a collective sigh of relief. Once he’d finished bowing to Scarlette, the ape bowed to the Doctor; then to the disgruntled Kemp; then to the assembled guests. Finally, with a dramatic sweep of the cloak, he turned away from the table and made his way to the back of the vault. There he stayed for what remained of the ceremony, arms folded with his hands inside his big silk sleeves, simply watching. After a few moments the guests realised he’d finished his party-piece and turned their attention back to the ceremony, although the bridesmaids looked nervous at having him stand so close.

At first it might look like a childish stunt. However, the wedding was a symbolic one, and this was the most symbolic act of all. The ape, the enemy, had simply bowed as if to say: See! Even the ape-lords can’t stop you now.

The man behind the mask had played things perfectly. It’s written that Scarlette, on realising that the newcomer meant no disrespect, only nodded seriously as acknowledgement that this was all part of the ritual. And though the Doctor had furrowed his eyebrows in puzzlement – it’s fair to say that he was used to somewhat less symbolism, in his attempts to save the world – he raised no objection.

So it was that Kemp reached the part of the ceremony in which he instructed the Doctor to place the ring upon the finger of his intended. At that the Doctor turned to his right, where Dr Nie Who was waiting, and with a little bow that one suspects might have owed something to the Chinese quack’s showmanship Who passed the silver ring into the Doctor’s hands. The Doctor nodded and mumbled something, nobody knows exactly what, as he accepted it.

One final glance passed between the Doctor and Scarlette before he slipped the ring on to her finger. He already wore the other silver ring himself, and had done for several days. The Doctor himself had suggested that he should only put his ring on as part of the ceremony, but Scarlette had refused, saying that ‘his heart sealed the pact on his side’. The Doctor had ostensibly looked alarmed at this, as if he were meant to take it as a literal threat. As for the glance at the altar, however, there are many interpretations as to what it might have meant. One of the Servicemen present describes it as ‘a look of the greatest apprehension… they were guilty about what they had done’. Mrs Gallacher, on the other hand, says that ‘they were unsure, it’s true… but I saw the little nod they gave each other at the last’. The uncertainty was felt outside the Church, as well. Some held that the screeching from