Notwithstanding this favourable predicament in which our hero stood
with his aunt and her husband, he could not help feeling the injury
he suffered from the caprice of his mother; and though the gaiety
of his disposition hindered him from afflicting himself with
reflections of any gloomy cast, he did not fail to foresee, that if
any sudden accident should deprive him of the commodore, he would
in all likelihood find himself in a very disagreeable situation.
Prompted by this consideration, he one evening accompanied his uncle
to the club, and was introduced to his father, before that worthy
gentleman had the least inkling of his arrival.
Mr. Gamaliel was never so disconcerted as at this reencounter.
His own disposition would not suffer him to do anything that might
create the least disturbance, or interrupt his enjoyment; so strongly
was he impressed with the terror of his wife, that he durst not
yield to the tranquility of his temper: and, as I have already
observed, his inclination was perfectly neutral. Thus distracted
between different motives, when Perry was presented to him, he sat
silent and absorbed, as if he did not or would not perceive the
application; and when he was urged to declare himself by the youth,
who pathetically begged to know how he had incurred his displeasure,
he answered, in a peevish strain, "Why, good now, child, what would
you have me to do? your mother can't abide you.
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