olding himself very
stiffly, "I'll think upon it." Whereupon he went into the library, and
closed the door after him.

'Tis certain that he had both the strength and the inclination to
chastise his son for these insulting rum-incited speeches, and to cast
him out to shift for his own future; instead of enduring heedlessly
the former, and offering to consider the latter. His strength was
equal to his pride, and he was no colder without than he was
passionate within. But there was one thing his strength of mind fell
short of facing, and that was the disgrace to the family, which the
eldest son might bring were he turned looser, unprovided for, in New
York. '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. Edward found his mother's resources
inadequate to his demands, and so levied tribute not only upon Fanny
and Tom but also upon Mr. Cornelius, who still abode in the
Faringfield house, and upon Philip Winwood. To Phil his manner was
more than civil; 'twas most conciliating and flattering, in a
pleasantly jocular way.

Ere Mr. Faringfie