[Illustration]
and here are its lively and strong features. The forehead wrinkled; the
eyebrows knit; the side of it next the nose drawn down, and the other
side rising very much; the eye is very open, and the eyeball is in the
middle; the nostrils rise and draw towards the eyes, and make wrinkles
in the cheeks; the mouth shuts, its sides sinking down, and the under
lip is pushed out beyond the upper one. With what detestation do we view
such a face as this!
"The scholar, mute with astonishment and terror, was some time before he
addressed these harpies. He gazed first at the widow, whose interesting
countenance engaged his attention, then at the children about her, and
then on the officers--'How much, sir,' cried he to one of them who was
writing at a table, 'does the debt amount to?'--'I should like to know
what business it is of yours,' answered the bailiff, in a surly tone,
still continuing to write, without deigning even to look at the person
who addressed him. 'You are mighty curious,' continued he; 'what
business is it of yours how much the woman owes? I suppose that you
wont pay the money for her, will you?'
"The scholar's attention was now taken off by a heavy sigh, which he
found proceeded from the breast of an aged man, who was seated in an old
elbow chair by the fireside. It was the poor widow's father, mourning
for her sorrows, and grieving for her distress; for as far as respected
himself, he had but little care. He was near eighty years of age. Here
is the countenance of the poor old man; it is the face of