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She was deceived, however, in her prognostic. The boy, instead of
declining in point of health, seemed to acquire fresh vigour from
every plunge, as if he had been resolved to discredit the wisdom and
foresight of his aunt, who in all probability could never forgive
him for this want of reverence and respect. This conjecture is
founded upon her behaviour to him in the sequel of his infancy,
during which she was known to torture him more than once, when she
had opportunities of thrusting pins into his flesh, without any
danger of being detected. In short, her affections were in a little
time altogether alienated from this hope of her family, whom
she abandoned to the conduct of his mother, whose province it
undoubtedly was to manage the nurture of her own child; while she
herself resumed her operations upon the commodore, whom she was
resoled at any rate to captivate and enslave. And it must be owned
that Mrs. Grizzle's knowledge of the human heart never shone so
conspicuous as in the methods she pursued for the accomplishment
of this important aim.


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