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After London - Or, Wild England by Richard Jefferies
page 66 of 274 (24%)
fallen to his share; all the fiery, restless spirit and defiant temper;
all the utter recklessness and warrior's instinct. He stood every inch a
man, with dark, curling, short-cut hair, brown cheek and Roman chin,
trimmed moustache, brown eye, shaded by long eyelashes and well-marked
brows; every inch a natural king of men. That very physical
preponderance and animal beauty was perhaps his bane, for his comrades
were so many, and his love adventures so innumerable, that they left him
no time for serious ambition.

Between the brothers there was the strangest mixture of affection and
repulsion. The elder smiled at the excitement and energy of the younger;
the younger openly despised the studious habits and solitary life of the
elder. In time of real trouble and difficulty they would have been drawn
together; as it was, there was little communion; the one went his way,
and the other his. There was perhaps rather an inclination to detract
from each other's achievements that to praise them, a species of
jealousy or envy without personal dislike, if that can be understood.
They were good friends, and yet kept apart.

Oliver made friends of all, and thwacked and banged his enemies into
respectful silence. Felix made friends of none, and was equally despised
by nominal friends and actual enemies. Oliver was open and jovial; Felix
reserved and contemptuous, or sarcastic in manner. His slender frame,
too tall for his width, was against him; he could neither lift the
weights nor undergo the muscular strain readily borne by Oliver. It was
easy to see that Felix, although nominally the eldest, had not yet
reached his full development. A light complexion, fair hair and eyes,
were also against him; where Oliver made conquests, Felix was
unregarded. He laughed, but perhaps his secret pride was hurt.

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