how 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 hookah 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 burdened 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
these, which were also white, from the circle which they formed round
his face, and contrasting with the colour of his skin, gave his _tout
ensemble_ much more the appearance of a royal Bengal tiger than a
gentleman. General De Benyon saw Mr Masterton leading me forward to
within a pace or two of the table before the general.--"Allow me the
pleasure of introducing your son, Japhet."

There was no hand extended to welcome me. My father fixed his proud
grey eyes upon me for a moment, and then turned to the governors of the
hospital.

"Is this the person, gentlemen, whom you received as an infant and
brought up as Japhet Newland?"

The governors declared I was the same person; that they had bound me to
Mr Cophagus, and had seen me more than once since I quitted