IV

           Revolvingthesethoughts,hestrolledonneartherailingsofthequay,broad-chested,withoutastoop,asthoughhisbigshouldershadneverfelttheburdenoftheloadsthatmustbecarriedbetweenthecradleandthegrave.Nosinglebetrayingfoldorlineofcaredisfiguredthereposefulmodelingofhisface.Itwasfullanduntanned;andtheupperpartemerged,massivelyquiet,outofthedownwardflowofsilveryhair,withthestrikingdelicacyofitsclearcomplexionandthepowerfulwidthoftheforehead.Thefirstcastofhisglancefellonyoucandidandswift,likeaboy’s;butbecauseoftheraggedsnowythatchoftheeyebrowstheaffabilityofhisattentionacquiredthecharacterofadarkandsearchingscrutiny.Withagehehadputonfleshalittle,hadincreasedhisgirthlikeanoldtreepresentingnosymptomsofdecay;andeventheopulent,lustrousrippleofwhitehairsuponhischestseemedanattributeofunquenchablevitalityandvigor.

           Onceratherproudofhisgreatbodilystrength,andevenofhispersonalappearance,consciousofhisworth,andfirminhisrectitude,therehadremainedtohim,liketheheritageofdepartedprosperity,thetranquilbearingofamanwhohadprovedhimselffitineverysortofwayforthelifeofhischoice.HestrodeonsquarelyundertheprojectingbrimofanancientPanamahat.Ithadalowcrown,acreasethroughitswholediameter,anarrowblackribbon.Imperishableandalittlediscolored,thisheadgearmadeiteasytopickhimoutfromafaronthrongedwharvesandinthebusystreets.