But even they knew very little of the man.

As he wandered about alone among the dikes, as he sat alone among his books, even as he pored over the volumes which were always in his hand, he was ever mourning and moaning over his desolation.

His wife and daughters had been taken from him by the hand of God;--but how had it come to pass that he had also lost his son, that son who was all that was left to him?
When he had first heard of those dealings with Davis, while John was amusing himself with the frivolities of Babington, he had been full of wrath, and had declared to himself that the young man must be expelled, if not from all affection, yet from all esteem.

And he had gone on to tell himself that it would be unprofitable for him to live with a son whom he did not esteem.

Then it had come to pass that, arguing it out in his own mind, rationally, as he had thought, but still under the impulse of hot anger, he had determined that it was better that they should part, even though the parting should be for ever.