He fretted and fumed, puffed himself up into a great rage as men of his temperament will.

Confound the fellow! He had gone half-way to meet him, for Nelly's sake, and the fellow had refused to budge.

Confound him and be hanged to him! The General would have used much worse language if the simple piety which hid behind his blusterousness had not come in to restrain him.
He blamed himself--to be sure, he blamed himself.

What a selfish old curmudgeon he had been, always thinking of himself and his own likes and dislikes! Where could his Nelly find greater security for happiness than in the keeping of Gerald's son?
Everybody thought well of Robin.

There had never been anything against him.