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The commodore, who was by this time turned of seventy, and altogether
crippled by the gout, seldom went abroad; and as his conversation
was not very entertaining, had but little company within doors; so
that his spirits must have quite stagnated, had not they been kept
in motion by the conversation of Hatchway, and received at different
times a wholesome fillip from the discipline of his spouse, who,
by the force of pride, religion, and Cognac, had erected a most
terrible tyranny in the house. There was such a quick circulation
of domestics in the family, that every suit of livery had been
worn by figures of all dimensions. Trunnion himself had long before
this time yielded to the torrent of her arbitrary sway, though not
without divers obstinate efforts to maintain his liberty; and now,
that he was disabled by his infirmities, when he used to bear his
empress singing the loud Orthyan song among the servants below,
he would often in whispers communicate to the lieutenant hints of
what he would do if so be as how he was not deprived of the use of
his precious limbs.


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