n of business and an American, in
order to check the contempt with which he might be treated as either.
His large business, his pride, his unreasonable hatred of England
(which he never saw), and a very fine and imposing appearance, he
passed down to our Mr. Faringfield, by whom all these inheritances
were increased. This gentleman, sensible of the injustice of an
inherited dislike not confirmed by experience, took occasion of some
business to make a visit to England, shortly after his father's death.
I believe he called upon his English cousins, now some degrees
removed, and, finding them in their generation ignorant that there
were any American Faringfields, was so coldly received by them, as
well as by the men with whom his business brought him in contact, that
he returned more deeply fixed in his dislike, and with a determination
that no Faringfield under his control should ever again breathe the
air of the mother island. He even chose a wife of French, rather than
English, descent; though, indeed, the De Lanceys, notwithstanding they
were Americans of Huguenot origin, were very good Englishmen, as the
issue proved when the separation came.

Miss De Lancey, however, at that time, had no views or feelings as
between the colonies and England; or if she had any, scarcely knew
what they were. She was a pretty, innocent, small-minded woman; with
no very large heart either, I fancy; and without force of character;
sometimes a little shrewish when vexed, and occasionally given to
prolonged whining complaints, which often won the point with her
husband, as a persistent mosquito will drive a man from a field whence
a giant's blows would not move him. She heard Mr. Faringfield's
tirades against England, with neither disagreement nor assent; and she
let him do what he could to instil his own antagonism into the
children. How he succeeded, or failed, will appear in time. I have
told enough to show why Master Ned's threatening boast, of knowing how
to get to England, struck his father like a blow in the face.

I looked to see Mr. Faringfield now stride forth at all risk and
inflict upon Master Ned some chastisement inconceivable; and Ned
himself took a backward step or two. But his father, after a moment of
dark glowering, merely answered, though in a voice somewhat unsteady
with anger:

"To England or the devil, my fine lad, before ever you enter my door,
until you change your tune!"

Whereupon he motioned the rest of us c