His
glance wielded a power which came of a gentleness that was not devoid
of strength. The arches of his brow formed caverns shaded by huge gray
eyebrows which alarmed no one. As most of his teeth were gone his
mouth had lost its shape and his cheeks had fallen in; but this
physical destruction was not without charm; even the wrinkles, full of
pleasantness, seemed to smile on others. Without being gouty his feet
were tender; and he walked with so much difficulty that he wore shoes
made of calf's skin all the year round. He thought the fashion of
trousers unsuitable for priests, and he always appeared in stockings
of coarse black yarn, knit by his housekeeper, and cloth breeches. He
never went out in his cassock, but wore a brown overcoat, and still
retained the three-cornered hat he had worn so courageously in times
of danger. This noble and beautiful old man, whose face was glorified
by the serenity of a soul above reproach, will be found to have so
great an influence upon the men and things of this history, that it
was proper to show the sources of his authority and power.
Minoret took three newspapers,--one liberal, one ministerial, one
ultra,--a few periodicals, and certain scientific journals, the
accumulation of which swelled his library.
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