All in a garden fair; the simple story of three boys ... - University Library

6
ALL IN A GARDEN FAIR.
forty, but looked tliirty ; his hair was quite
black and curly, without a touch of white in
it ; he wore a small black beard ; his eyes were
also black and as bright as steel. It is perliaps
misleading to compare them with steel, because
it is always the villain whose eye glitters like
steel. Now M. Hector Philipon was not a
villain at all. By no means. The light in his
eyes came from the kindness of his heart, not
from any villainous aims or wicked passions,
and, in fjict, though his beard and his hair were
so very black—black of the deepest dye, such
as would have graced even a wicked uncle—he
frightened nobody, not even strangers. And of
course everybody in tliose parts knew very well
that he was a most harmless and amiable
person. He liad a voice deep and full like the
voice of a churcli organ; honey sweet too, as
well as dee}). And at siglit of his little girl
those bright eyes became as soft as the eyes of
a maiden in love. When he spoke, although
his English was fluent and correct, you per-
ceived a foreign accent. But he had been so