A consultation immediately ensued, in which Mr. Hatchway gravely
observed that the finger of Heaven was plainly perceivable in those
signals, and that it would be both sinful and foolish to disregard
its commands, especially as the match proposed was, in all respects,
more advantageous than any that one of his years could reasonably
expect; declaring that for his own part he would not endanger his
soul and body by living one day longer under the same roof with a
man who despised the will of Heaven; and Tom Pipes adhered to the
same pious resolution.
Trunnion's perseverance could not resist the number and diversity
of considerations that assaulted it; he revolved in silence all
the opposite motives that occurred to his reflection; and after
having been, to all appearance, bewildered in the labyrinth of his
own thoughts, he wiped the sweat from his forehead, and, heaving
a piteous groan, yielded to their remonstrances in these words:
"Well, since it must be so, I think we must ev'n grapple. But d--
my eyes! 'tis a d--d hard case that a fellow of my years should
be compelled, d'ye see, to beat up to windward all the rest of my
life against the current of my own inclination.
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