James Fenimore Cooper

The Red Rover James Fenimore Cooper

The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not onlythe names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his ownresidence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, ofa mysterious and threatening aspect. In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of theprobability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should begiven of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, hadthe misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport. The one, by far the most imposing in his general mien, was a youth who had apparently seensome six or seven-and-twenty seasons. That those seasons had not been entirely made of sunnydays, and nights of repose, was betrayed by the tinges of brown which had been laid on his features, layer after layer in such constant succession, as to have changed, to a deep olive, a complexion whichhad once been fair, and through which the rich blood was still mantling with the finest glow ofvigorous health. His features were rather noble and manly, than distinguished for their exactness andsymmetry; his nose being far more bold and prominent than regular in its form, with his browsprojecting, and sufficiently marked to give to the whole of the superior parts of his face that decidedintellectual expression which is already becoming so common to American physiognomy. Themouth was firm and manly; and, while he muttered to himself, with a meaning smile, as the curioustailor drew slowly nigher, it discovered a set of glittering teeth, that shone the brighter from beingcased in so dark a setting. The hair was a jet black, in thick and confused ringlets; the eyes were verylittle larger than common, gray, and, though evidently of a changing expression, rather leaning tomildness than severity. The form of this young man was of that happy size which so singularlyunites activity with strength. It seemed to be well knit, while it was justly proportioned, andstrikingly graceful. Though these several personal qualifications were exhibited under thedisadvantages of the perfectly simple, though neat and rather tastefully disposed, attire of a commonmariner, they were sufficiently imposing to cause the suspicious dealer in buckram to hesitate beforehe would venture to address the stranger, whose eye appeared riveted, by a species of fascination, onthe reputed slaver in the outer harbour. A curl of the upper lip, and another strange smile, in whichscorn was mingled with his mutterings, decided the vacillating mind of the good-man. Withoutventuring to disturb a reverie that seemed so profound, he left the youth leaning against the head ofthe pile where he had long been standing, perfectly unconscious of the presence of any intruder, andturned a little hastily to examine the rest of the party