Mason soon made his bow at the
door, and willingly complied with the wishes of the landlady; and the
divine was invited to make his appearance accordingly.
The person who was ushered into the apartment, preceded by Caesar, and
followed by the matron, was a man beyond the middle age, or who might
rather be said to approach the downhill of life. In stature he was above
the size of ordinary men, though his excessive leanness might
contribute in deceiving as to his height; his countenance was sharp and
unbending, and every muscle seemed set in rigid compression. No joy or
relaxation appeared ever to have dwelt on features that frowned
habitually, as if in detestation of the vices of mankind. The brows were
beetling, dark, and forbidding, giving the promise of eyes of no less
repelling expression; but the organs were concealed beneath a pair of
enormous green goggles, through which they glared around with a
fierceness that denounced the coming day of wrath. All was fanaticism,
uncharitableness, and denunciation. Long, lank hair, a mixture of gray
and black, fell down his neck, and in some degree obscured the sides of
his face, and, parting on his forehead, fell in either direction in
straight and formal screens. On the top of this ungraceful exhibition
was laid impending forward, so as to overhang in some measure the whole
fabric, a large hat of three equal cocks.
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