He had an impulse to loose his
clasp and stand alone at the beginning of the vows, but he could not;
he had not withdrawn his hand before he was forced again to lean his
weight upon the steady arm beside him.
Nothing had been able to persuade Lady Price that she was not to make
all the vows as for an infant, but luckily nobody heard her except
her husband and the other sponsors, for it was a full, clear,
steadfast voice that made reply, 'I renounce them all!' and as the
dark deep eyes gazed far away into the west window, and Felix felt
the shudder through the whole frame, he knew the force of that
renunciation; and how it gave up that one excitement that the lad
really cared for. And when that final and carefully-guarded vow of
obedience was uttered, the pressure on his arm seemed to show that
the moral was felt of that moment's endeavour to stand alone.
The sound of prayer, save in his own chamber, was so entirely new,
that no doubt the force of the petitions was infinitely enhanced, and
the entreaty for the death of the old Adam had a definite application
to those old habits and tastes that at times exerted their force. The
right hand was ready and untrembling when the Rector took it; the
stream of water glittered as it fell on the awe-struck brow and jetty
hair, and the eyes shone out with a deep resolute lustre as
'Ferdinand Audley' was baptized into the Holy Name, and sworn a
faithful soldier and servant.
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