He was inspecting, with much attention, an
article of the great man's wardrobe which he held in his hand. It
was precisely that virile habiliment to which a well-known gallant
captain alludes in his conversation with the posthumous appearance
of Miss Bailey, as containing a Bank of England 5 pound note.
"The general must have been a large man, George, or he would hardly
have filled these," said Mr. Horne, holding up to the light the
respectable leathern articles in question. "He must have been a
very large man,--the largest man in Antwerp, I should think; or else
his tailor has done him more than justice."
They were certainly large, and had about them a charming regimental
military appearance. They were made of white leather, with bright
metal buttons at the knees and bright metal buttons at the top.
They owned no pockets, and were, with the exception of the
legitimate outlet, continuous in the circumference of the waistband.
No dangling strings gave them an appearance of senile imbecility.
Were it not for a certain rigidity, sternness, and mental
inflexibility,--we will call it military ardour,--with which they
were imbued, they would have created envy in the bosom of a fox-
hunter.
Pages:
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29