They all knew, he said, that it was no fault of mine, and for his part, had he a rascal for a father, he should pension him and cut him; to tell the truth, no objection against me existed in his family except on the score of the sort of father I owned to, and I had better make up my mind to shake him off before I grew a man; he spoke as a friend.

I might frown at him and clench my fists, but he did speak as a friend.
Janet all the while was nibbling a biscuit, glancing over it at me with mouse-eyes.

Her short frock and her greediness, contrasting with the talk of my marrying her, filled me with renewed scorn, though my heart was sick at the mention of my father.

I asked her what she knew of him.
She nibbled her biscuit, mumbling, 'He went to Riversley, pretending he was a singing-master.

I know that's true, and more.' 'Oh, and a drawing-master, and a professor of legerdemain,' added her brother.