He is very much grown, and
looks uncommonly demure, and as much disposed to set everybody to
rights as ever.'
But Alda did not enter much more into particulars; she led away the
conversation to the sights she had seen in their summer tour; and as
she had a good deal of descriptive power, she made her narratives so
interesting that time slipped quickly past, and the young company was
as much surprised as Mr. Audley was when he came home and found them
all there, not yet gone to bed. They were greatly ashamed, and afraid
they had done Ferdinand harm, and all were secretly very anxious
about the night; but, though the wakeful habit and night feverishness
were not at once to be broken through, yet the last impression was
the strongest, and the long-drawn aisle, the 'dim religious light,'
and the white procession, were now the recurring images, all joyful,
all restful, truly as if the bird had escaped out of the snare of the
fowler. Real sleep came sooner than usual, and Fernan rose quite
equal to the fatigue of the coming day, the Confirmation day, when
again Geraldine had to sit beside him--this newly admitted to the
universal brotherhood, instead of being beside that dear Edgar of her
own, for whom her whole heart craved, as she thought how their
preparation had begun together beside her father's chair.
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