ance; and added, that he doubted much whether the reputation of the family would not in some degree suffer from calling soldiers from their duty at the custom house, to protect them, as if they were not sufficiently strong to defend themselves upon any ordinary occasion. He even hinted, that in case their house's enemies should observe that this precaution had been taken unnecessarily, there would be no end of their sarcasms.
Sir Robert Hazlewood was rather puzzled at this intimation, for, like most dull men, he heartily hated and feared ridicule. He gathered himself up, and looked with a sort of pompous embarrassment, as if he wished to be thought to despise the opinion of the public, which in reality he dreaded.
"I really should have thought," he said, "that the injury which had already been aimed at my house in your person, being the next heir and representative of the
