He had never disguised his love for Marie Ivanovna and now she
was his "spoils"--won by his own strong piratical hand from the good
but rather feeble bark Trenchard--he manifested his scorn of us more
openly than ever.
He seemed to have grown rather stronger and stouter during these last
months, and his square stolidity was a thing at which to marvel. Had
he been taller, had his beard been pointed rather than square, he
would have been graceful and even picturesque--but his figure, as he
strode along, showed foursquare, as though it had been hewn out of
wood; one of those pale, almost white, honey-coloured woods would
give the effect of his fair beard and eyebrows. His thick red lips
were more startling than ever, curved as they usually were in cynical
contempt of some foolish victim. How he did despise us!
When one of our childish quarrels arose at meal-times he would say
nothing, but would continue stolidly his serious business of eating.
He was very fond of his food, which he ate in the greediest manner.
Pages:
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327