He was tall and thin and dark. His finely-shaped intelligent face--hidden, as to the lower part of it, by a curly black beard--would have been absolutely handsome, even in the eyes of a schoolgirl, but for the deep furrows that marked it prematurely between the eyebrows, and at the sides of the mouth. In the same way, an underlying mockery impaired the attraction of his otherwise refined and gentle manner. Among his fellow-creatures, children and dogs were the only critics who appreciated his merits without discovering the defects which lessened the favorable appreciation of him by men and women. He dressed neatly, but his morning coat was badly made, and his picturesque felt hat was too old. In short, there seemed to be no good quality about him which was not perversely associated with a drawback of some kind. He was one of those harmless and luckless men, possessed of excellent qualities, who fail nevertheless to achieve popularity in their social sphere. Francine handed his sketch to him, through the window; doubtful whether the words that he had addressed to her were spoken in jest or in earnest. “I only presumed to touch your drawing,” she said, “because it was in danger.” “What danger?” he inquired. Francine pointed to the pond. “If I had not been in time to pick it up, it would have been blown into the water.” “Do you think it was worth picking up?” Putting that question, he looked first at the sketch--then at the view which it represented--then back again at the sketch. The corners of his mouth turned upward with a humorous expression of scorn. “Madam Nature,” he said, “I beg your pardon.” With those words, he composedly tore his work of art into small pieces, and scattered them out of the window. “What a pity!” said Francine. He joined her on the ground outside the cottage. “Why is it a pity?” he asked. “Such a nice drawing.” “It isn’t a nice drawing.” “You’re not very polite, sir.” He looked at her--and sighed as if he pitied so young a woman for having a temper so ready to take offense. In his flattest contradictions he always preserved the character of a politely-positive man.