'Twas the fear of such disgrace that always led Mr. Faringfield
to send Ned far away; and made him avoid any scene of violence which
the youth, now that he was a man and grown bold, might precipitate in
discussions such as the father had but now cut short.
"Now I call that frigid," complained Edward to his mother, staring at
the door behind which Mr. Faringfield had disappeared. "Here was I, in
for a pleasant confab with my father, concerning my future; and before
I can put in a word, out he flings, and there's an end of it. 'Tisn't
fatherly, I protest! Well, well, I might have known! He was always
stony-hearted; never would discuss matters. That's the gratitude I get
for putting the case to him in a reasonable, docile, filial fashion.
However, he said he'd think upon it. That means I shall stay here, and
take a holiday, till he makes up his mind where to ship me to next.
'Twon't be England, I fancy, mother. I wouldn't object to France,
egad! I could learn to eat frogs as soon as another man, if it came to
that. Well, I need a holiday, after working so hard in that cursed
devil's paradise I've just come from. I suppose I can depend on you
for a little pocket-money, ma'am, till dad comes to a conclusion?"
During the next fortnight, as he passed most of his time in the
taverns and the coffee-house, save when he attended horse-races on
Long Island, or chased foxes upon Tom's horse, or lent the honour of
his presence to cock-fights; Mr.
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