aving me alone. I
must say, that I was a little agitated; I heard the door open above,
and then an angry growl like that of a wild beast; the door closed again,
and all was quiet. "And this," thought I, "is the result of all my fond
anticipations, of my ardent wishes, of my enthusiastic search. Instead
of expressing anxiety to receive his son, he litigiously requires proofs,
and more proofs, when he has received every satisfactory proof, already.
They say his temper is violent beyond control, and that submission
irritates instead of appeasing him; what then if I resent? I have heard
that people of that description are to be better met with their own
weapons;--suppose I try it;--but no, I have no right;--I will however be
firm and keep my temper under every circumstance; I will show him, at
least, that his son has the spirit and the feelings of a gentleman."

As these thoughts passed in my mind the door opened, and Mr Masterton
requested me to follow him. I obeyed with a palpitating heart, and when
I had gained the landing-place up stairs, Mr Masterton took my hand and
led me into the presence of my long-sought-for and much-dreaded _parent_.
I may as well describe him and the whole tableau. The room was long and
narrow, and, at the farther end, was a large sofa, on which was seated
my father with his injured leg reposing on it, his crutches propped
against the wall. On each side of him were two large poles and stands
each with a magnificent macaw. Next to the macaws were two native
servants, arrayed in their muslin dresses, with their arms folded.
A hooka was in advance of the table before the sofa; it was magnificently
wrought in silver, and the snake passed under the table, so that the
tube was within my honoured father's reach. On one side of the room sat
the two governors of the Foundling Hospital, on the other was seated Mr
Cophagus in his Quaker's dress; the empty chair next to him had been
occupied by Mr Masterton. I looked at my father: he was a man of great
size, apparently six feet three or four inches, and stout in proportion
without being burthened with fat: he was gaunt, broad shouldered, and
muscular, and I think, must have weighed seventeen or eighteen stone.
His head was in proportion to his body and very large; so were all his
features upon the same grand scale. His complexion was of a
brownish-yellow, and his hair of a snowy white. He wore his whiskers
very large and joined together under the throat, and