ufficed.MycoffeewasexcellentItoldhimso,andexpressedtheshudderingpitywithwhichhisanchoritefareinspiredme.Hedidnotanswer,andIscarcelythinkheardmyremark.AtthatmomentoneofthosemomentaryeclipsesIbeforealludedtohadcomeoverhisface,extinguishinghissmile,andreplacing,byanabstractedandalienatedlook,thecustomarilyshrewd,banteringglanceofhiseye.Iemployedtheintervalofsilenceinarapidscrutinyofhisphysiognomy.Ihadneverobservedhimcloselybeforeand,asmysightisveryshort,Ihadgatheredonlyavague,generalideaofhisappearanceIwassurprisednow,onexamination,toperceivehowsmall,andevenfeminine,werehislineamentshistallfigure,longanddarklocks,hisvoiceandgeneralbearing,hadimpressedmewiththenotionofsomethingpowerfulandmassivenotatall:—myownfeatureswerecastinaharsherandsquarermouldthanhis.Idiscernedthattherewouldbecontrastsbetweenhisinwardandoutwardmancontentions,tooforIsuspectedhissoulhadmoreofwillandambitionthanhisbodyhadoffibreandmuscle.Perhaps,intheseincompatibilitiesofthe“physique”withthe“morale,”laythesecretofthatfitfulgloomheWOULDbutCOULDnot,andtheathleticmindscowledscornonitsmorefragilecompanion.Astohisgoodlooks,Ishouldhavelikedtohaveawoman’sopiniononthatsubjectitseemedtomethathisfacemightproducethesameeffectonaladythataverypiquantandinteresting,thoughscarcelypretty,femalefacewouldonaman.Ihavementionedhisdarklocks—theywerebrushedsidewaysaboveawhiteandsufficientlyexpansiveforeheadhischeekhadaratherhecticfreshnesshisfeaturesmighthavedonewelloncanvas,butindifferentlyinmarble:theywereplasticcharacterhadsetastampuponeachexpressionre-castthematherpleasure,andstrangemetamorphosesshewrought,givinghimnowthemienofamorosebull,andanonthatofanarchandmischievousgirlmorefrequently,thetwosemblanceswereblent,andaqueer,compositecountenancetheymade.
Startingfromhissilentfit,hebegan:—
“William!whatafoolyouaretoliveinthosedismallodgingsofMrs.King’s,whenyoumighttakeroomshereinGroveStreet,andhaveagardenlikem