Yet his own daughters were not outstandingly meek: he thought of their shrill bawling 'Oh Papa, Papa, do come on, Papa. We shall never get up the hill at this rate. Pray, Papa, do not be such a slug.' Early it would have been 'goddam slug', they having caught a free way of speaking from the seamen who formed part of the household, but since the last voyage or two Sophie had taken the matter in hand, and now girlish cries of 'infernal swab' or 'short-arsed cullion' were to be heard only in the remoter parts of Ashgrove wood.
by Patrick O'Brian
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The daughters of the character feel free to express their frustrations openly, calling out to their father with cries like "Oh Papa, Papa, do come on, Papa." Their impatience reflects a lack of quietness and meekness, as they accuse him of being slow and unyielding. Their language is somewhat influenced by the seamen in the household, revealing a blend of innocence and the roughness of their upbringing.

Despite the attempts of Sophie, one of the daughters, to moderate their language, the girls still exhibit a spirited nature. Phrases like "infernal swab" and "short-arsed cullion" might be less frequent, yet they demonstrate the girls' strong personalities and the lasting impact of their environment on their expressions. This dynamic shows how free speech and character can thrive even in familial settings.

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