Catherine de Médicis, Queen, consort of Henry II, King of France, 1519-1589 -- Fiction; French fiction -- Translations into English
Christophe Lecamus was a fine representative of the ardent and devoted
portion of the people. His wan face had the sharp hectic tones which
distinguish certain fair complexions; his hair was yellow, of a coppery
shade; his gray-blue eyes were sparkling. In them alone was his fine
soul visible; for his ill-proportioned face did not atone for its
triangular shape by the noble mien of an elevated mind, and his low
forehead indicated only extreme energy. Life seemed to centre in his
chest, which was rather hollow. More nervous than sanguine, Cristophe’s
bodily appearance was thin and threadlike, but wiry. His pointed noise
expressed the shrewdness of the people, and his countenance revealed an
intelligence capable of conducting itself well on a single point of the
circumference, without having the faculty of seeing all around it. His
eyes, the arching brows of which, scarcely covered with a whitish down,
projected like an awning, were strongly circled by a pale-blue band, the
skin being white and shining at the spring of the nose,--a sign which
almost always denotes excessive enthusiasm. Christophe was of the
people,--the people who devote themselves, who fight for their
devotions, who let themselves be inveigled and betrayed; intelligent
enough to comprehend and serve an idea, too upright to turn it to his
own account, too noble to sell himself.
Contrasting with this son of Lecamus, Chaudieu, the ardent minister,
with brown hair thinned by vigils, a yellow skin, an eloquent mouth, a
militant brow, with flaming brown eyes, and a short and prominent chin,
embodied well the Christian faith which brought to the Reformation so
many sincere and fanatical pastors, whose courage and spirit aroused the
populations. The aide-de-camp of Calvin and Theodore de Beze contrasted
admirably with the son of the furrier. He represented the fiery cause of
which the effect was seen in Christophe.
The sailor, an impetuous being, tanned by the open air, accustomed to
dewy nights and burning days, with closed lips, hasty gestures, orange
eyes, ravenous as those of a vulture, and black, frizzled hair, was the
embodiment of an adventurer who risks all in a venture, as a gambler
stakes all on a card. His whole appearance revealed terrific passions,
and an audacity that flinched at nothing. His vigorous muscles were made
to be quiescent as well as to act. His manner was more audacious than
noble. His nose, though thin, turned up and snuffed battle. He seemed
agile and capable. You would have known him in all ages for the leader
of a party. If he were not of the Reformation, he might have been
Pizarro, Fernando Cortez, or Morgan the Exterminator,--a man of violent
action of some kind.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account