How could he?
There had been a father of some kind to the common knowledge.

Men knew him; spoke about him.

A lank man of hopelessly mixed descent, but otherwise--apparently--unobjectionable.
The shady relations came out afterward, but--with his freedom from prejudices--he did not mind them, because, with their humble dependence, they completed his triumphant life.

Taken in! taken in! Hudig had found an easy way to provide for the begging crowd.

He had shifted the burden of his youthful vagaries on to the shoulders of his confidential clerk; and while he worked for the master, the master had cheated him; had stolen his very self from him.