His aunt, in despair, had observed, that the first time her nephew
bowed, he made a much lower bow to Miss St. Yves, than to any one in the
company--that he had not even saluted the bishop with so much respect,
blended with cordiality, as he did that agreeable young lady. She
thought it advisable to apply to her in this great embarrassment. She
earnestly entreated her to use her influence to engage the Huron to be
baptized according to the custom of Britany, thinking that her nephew
could never be a Christian if he persisted in being christened in the
stream.
[Illustration: The Huron baptized.--"I have been an hour in the water,
up to my neck, and I do not think it is civil to let me be quite
exhausted."]
Miss St. Yves blushed at the secret joy she felt in being appointed to
execute so important a commission. She modestly approached the Huron,
and squeezing his hand in quite a noble manner, she said to him.
"What, will you do nothing to please me?"
And in uttering these words, she raised her eyes from a downcast look,
into a graceful tenderness.
"Oh! yes, Miss, every thing you require, all that you command, whether
it is to be baptized in water, fire, or blood;--there is nothing I can
refuse you."
Miss St. Yves had the glory of effecting, in two words, what neither the
importunities of the prior, the repeated interrogations of the bailiff,
nor the reasoning of the bishop, could effect. She was sensible of her
triumph; but she was not yet sensible of its utmost latitude.
Baptism was administered, and received with all the decency,
magnificence, and propriety possible. His uncle and aunt yielded to the
Abbé St. Yves and his sister the favor of supporting the Huron upon the
font. Miss St. Yves's eyes sparkled with joy at being a god-mother. She
was ignorant how much this high title compromised her. She accepted the
honor, without being acquainted with its fatal consequences.
As there never was any ceremony that was not followed by a good dinner,
the company took their seats at table after the christening. The
humorists of Lower Britany said, "they did not choose to have their wine
baptized." The prior said, "that wine, according to Solomon, cherished
the heart of man." The bishop added, "that the Patriarch Judah ought to
have tied his ass-colt to the vine, and steeped his cloak in the blood
of the grape; and that he was sorry the same could not be done in Lower
Britany, to which God had not allotted vines." Every one endeavored to
say a good thing upon the Huron's christening, and strokes of gallantry
to the god-mother. The bailiff, ever interrogating, asked the Huron, "if
he was faithful in keeping his promises?"
"How," said he, "can I fail keeping them, since I have deposited them in
the hands of Miss St. Yves?"
The Huron grew warm; he had drank repeatedly his god-mother's health.
"If," said he, "I had been baptized with your hand, I feel that the
water which was poured on the nape of my neck would have burnt me."