A Victorious Defeat Author:Charles Wolcott Balestier Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. This young Englishman, walking by Constance's side through Dr. Van Cleef s garden, would certainly have struck a Moravian spectator, if there had ... more »chanced to be one, as a supremely unusual figure, for many reasons. But he would have engaged the attention of an onlooker with no such traditions and prejudices as a Moravian's, for his height, which was unusual, and his strong well- knit frame, gave him, taken in connection with his admirable bearing, an uncommonly positive presence. His eyes were the index of a sincere spirit, but they were perhaps not notable in any other way, unless it is worth while to add that a subtle and often rather irrelevant humorous twinkle had its home in them. His brown hair hung loosely about his head. Doubtless his face was not handsome ; but it did not seem improbable that certain persons might so describe it. It was, at least, distinctly earnest, and its firm lines were drawn with delicacy and security. It was a strikingly genuine face. March's dress was not modish ; it did not insist. But he was very well dressed indeed. This felicitous point may have been of less easy maintenance, in those days of the gradual disappearance of ruffles and knee-breeches, than it is found in this year of grace ; at all events, its effect in the case of Owen March was a kind of distinction. The garden to which Constance was introducing him, struck him as extraordinary. It was a garden of gardens. Its extent, the variety of its exhibition, and the care with which its achievements were nurtured and classified, seemed almost professional. Something of this he communicated to his companion. " Certainly," said she; " it is my father's passion. He seeks out new species, and cares for the old, with the enthusiasm which other men spend upon books, and violin...« less