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The old gentleman received his nephew with very great delight, and having ordered for him every refreshment that the house afforded, or at least that he could command, proceeded without delay to unfold his various reasons for requesting the presence of William. "I had," he said, "many trials while my wife was alive, but it pleased the Lord to take her to himself. I was resigned, and since that time have lived with Susan very comfortably. She, to be sure, was down in the mouth, from the behaviour of (whispering) that damned scoundrel her husband; and sometimes I have thought that, bad as he was, she regretted his absence as much as any thing, however,