The large brown eyes were
extremely prominent, with a tremendous staring power in them, and the
whole expression was one of toad-like gravity. But he could laugh on
occasion, and his laugh to us children was the most grotesque and
consequently the most delightful thing about him. Whenever we saw him
ride up and dismount, and after fastening his magnificently
caparisoned horse to the outer gate come in to make a call on our
parents, we children would abandon our sports or whatever we were
doing and joyfully run to the house; then distributing ourselves about
the room on chairs and stools, sit, silent and meek, listening and
watching for Don Gregorio's laugh. He talked in a startlingly emphatic
way, almost making one jump when he assented to what was being said
with his loud sudden _si-si-si-si-si,_ and when he spoke bringing
out his sentences two or three words at a time, sounding like angry
barks. And by and by something would be said to touch his risible
faculties, which would send him off in a sort of fit; and throwing
himself back in his chair, closing his eyes and opening wide his big
mouth he would draw his breath in with a prolonged wailing or sibilant
sound until his lungs were too full to hold any more, and it would
then be discharged with a rush, accompanied by a sort of wild animal
scream, something like the scream of a fox.
Pages:
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187