For some minutes did he stand, hesitating, and
watching up and down the broad walk in front. The gas-light overhead
shed its glare upon the freestone walls-for the night was dark-and,
as he turned, discovered the fine features of a frank and open
countenance, to which the flashing of two great intelligent eyes, a
long silvery beard, and a flowing moustache, all shaded by the broad
brim of a black felt hat, lent their aid to make impressive. Closer
he muffled his face in the folds of his cloak, and spoke. "Time!"
said he, in a voice musical and clear, "hath worn little on his
great mansion; like his heart, it is of good stone." The mansion,
indeed, was of princely front, with chiselled fa‡ade and great doric
windows of deep fluted mouldings, grand in outline. Now a small hand
stole from beneath his cloak, rapped gently upon the carved door of
black walnut, and rang the bell. Soon the door swung open, and a
negro in a black coat, white vest, and handkerchief of great
stiffness, and nether garments of flashy stripes, politely bowed him
into a hall of great splendour. Rows of statuary stood in alcoves
along its sides; the walls dazzled with bright coloured paintings in
massive gilt frames; highly coloured and badly blended mythological
designs spread along the ceiling: the figure of a female, with
pearly tears gushing from her eyes, as on bended knee she besought
mercy of the winged angel perched above her, stood beside the broad
stairway at the further end of the hall-strangely emblematical of
the many thousand souls the man-seller had made weep in the
bitterness of slavery; the softest rugs and costly Turkey carpets,
with which its floor was spread, yielded lightly to the footfall, as
the jetting lights of a great chandelier shed refulgence over the
whole: indeed, what there lacked of taste was made up with air of
opulence.
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