Let them look out!' 'Hush, hush! for pity's sake,' cried Nance.
And then all of a sudden he dropped his face into his hands, and broke out with a great hiccoughing dry sob that was horrible to hear.

'O,' he cried, 'my God, if my son hadn't left me, if my Dick was here!' and the sobs shook him; Nance sitting still and watching him, with distress.

'O, if he were here to help his father!' he went on again.

'If I had a son like other fathers, he would save me now, when all is breaking down; O, he would save me! Ay, but where is he?
Raking taverns, a thief perhaps.
My curse be on him!' he added, rising again into wrath.
'Hush!' cried Nance, springing to her feet: 'your boy, your dead wife's boy--Aunt Susan's baby that she loved--would you curse him?
O, God forbid!' The energy of her address surprised him from his mood.

He looked upon her, tearless and confused.