Relics of General Chasse by Anthony Trollope
page 19 of 30 (63%)
page 19 of 30 (63%)
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I could see at a glance that a dark frown contracted his eyebrows,
and that the compressed muscles of his upper lip gave a strange degree of austerity to his open face. He carried his head proudly on high, determined to be dignified in spite of his misfortunes, and advanced two steps into the room without a remark, as though he were able to show that neither red plush nor black cloth could disarrange the equal poise of his mighty mind! And after all what are a man's garments but the outward husks in which the fruit is kept, duly tempered from the wind? "The rank is but the guinea stamp, The man's the gowd for a' that." And is not the tailor's art as little worthy, as insignificant as that of the king who makes "A marquis, duke, and a' that"? Who would be content to think that his manly dignity depended on his coat and waistcoat, or his hold on the world's esteem on any other garment of usual wear? That no such weakness soiled his mind Mr. Horne was determined to prove; and thus he entered the room with measured tread, and stern dignified demeanour. Having advanced two steps his eye caught mine. I do not know |
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