IN THE SHADOW
buffoonery had passed, uncouth. Immaculate, unctuous, smiling, suave, with a luster of black satiny skin, the yellow lamplight aglisten in his kinky hair, the snowy shirt bosom beneath the face of jet, the impression was grotesque; as one gradually appreciated the massive structures—the gross anatomy beneath the fine and faultless fabrics, noted the great deltoids bulging under the broadcloth, the huge thighs, bowed legs, the vast extent of homo—what had at first sight been burlesque became shocking! Evening dress upon such a monster offended all sense of the congruous; it stripped him of his dignity.
"Ach!" mutterd Leyden in Virginia's ear. "If he could but wear a burnoose or a scarlet turban or a leopard skin and a necklace of teeth! And now listen when he talks; architects do not design drawing-rooms for such a voice. He should be banging a drum with his fist, and howling!"
Virginia laughed; Leyden meant that she should; he realized that Virginia was affected by the great black presence and knew that there is nothing to slacken tension like laughter.
Dessalines' amphorous voice was filling the room as the hostess led him to those of the guests whom he had not met. Virginia, watching him closely, saw that as the women fluttered, so Dessalines would expand; his manners were perfect, his face gracious and suave, his bearing self-conscious and self-confident. With Sir Henry he said a jesting word, with Giles his manner approached the patronizing. From Giles he passed to Dr. Leyden and then as he paused, Virginia's great eyes opened wide in the fullness of perception.
The cool, steady eyes of the naturalist met those of
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