A VIRGINIAN. 29 



more manly-looking person ; indeed, he was consider- 

 ably above the average height of men, and was built 

 in proportion, with broad shoulders, a deep, round 

 chest, thin flanks, and limbs of singular symmetry 

 and grace. 



His face was rather expressive than handsome, al- 

 though the features were well-cut, regular, and 

 shapely ; and it would not have been easy, even for a 

 practical physiognomist, to say whether the expres- 

 sion was pleasing or the reverse. 



The brow was broad and well developed, and the 

 dark brown hair, which clustered over it in rich, loose 

 waves, was silky and luxuriant ; but there was some- 

 thing like an habitual frown, of gloom or discontent, 

 it would seem, rather than of temper, which kept the 

 face continually ruffled. His eyes were well opened, 

 dark and lustrous, but there was at times a quick and 

 fiery light in those clear orbs, that told a strange tale 

 to the wary observer, of fierce dormant passions, kept 

 at rest only by a resolute and energetic will. There 

 were some lines, too, from the angles of the nostril 

 downward, though these were partially concealed by a 

 long upturned hussar moustache, which it was clear to 

 see could easily degenerate into a sneer. The lips 

 were thin, and in their ordinary state, compressed so 

 firmly as to indicate a character of indomitable force 

 and firmness ; a character which was in no sort belied 

 by the bold and square-cut outlines of the chin, par- 

 tially shaded as it was by a long, soft imperial a V 

 Henri Quatre. His complexion was singularly dark 

 for an European, or one of European descent, but per- 

 fectly clear and free from swarthiness, or the imputa- 

 tion of arising from any admixture of blood. 



On the whole, while his features were at rest, though 

 no one could have failed to pronounce him a good- 

 looking, perhaps even a handsome man, no one would 

 have thought of calling him attractive or pleasing ; 



