The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 219: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

212 THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. and he hastened to his carriage—which had all the while been waiting for him opposite the Infirmary—a sad, but not a better man. “Come,” said Small, buttoning up his coat; “ the fun is over for to-night ; your mother and sisters will be expecting us. Besides,’’ he hiccupped—for the wine had taken effect upon him— we must not forget evening prayers: a bad example to the servants, and an ingratitude to Providence.” “‘ But the sovereigns, father ?” said Matthew. ‘What sovereigns?’ demanded the half-muddled parent. “Why, the two a-piece which you promised us for coming with you.” “Did [? Pil owe them to you. What,” he added, as a low grumble of discontent reached him, “do you object to trust your poor father, who has just expended a thousand pounds on your account? No gratitude in this world—even from one’s children !” “It’s your own lesson,” observed Mark, sulkily. ‘You know you always taught us never to trust any one.” “ Well, well, you shall have them,” replied Small, with a smile, for the argument pleased him; ‘you shall have them, Now Matthew,” he hiccupped, “ give me your arm, and let’s hasten home to your precious mother and sisters. Why don’t you learn to take your wine steadily,” he added, “like gentlemen? How often have I told you that drunkenness is a sin in the COniiclooecl SS (SO