Accordingly Mr. Pickle used to tell him at the club, that his
hopeful favourite had ridiculed him in such a company, and aspersed
his spouse on another occasion; and thus retail the little scandalous
issue of his own wife's invention. Luckily for Peregrine, the
commodore paid no great regard to the authority of his informer,
because he knew from what channel the intelligence flowed; besides,
the youth had a staunch friend in Mr. Hatchway, who never failed to
vindicate him when he was thus unjustly accused, and always found
argument enough to confute the assertions of his enemies. But, though
Trunnion had been dubious of the young gentleman's principles, and
deaf to the remonstrances of the lieutenant, Perry was provided
with a bulwark strong enough to defend him from all such assaults.
This was no other than his aunt, whose regard for him was perceived
to increase in the same proportion as his own mother's diminished;
and, indeed, the augmentation of the one was, in all probability,
owing to the decrease of the other; for the two ladies, with great
civility, performed all the duties of good neighbourhood, and hated
each other most piously in their hearts.
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