He went into the
house of the hospitable old man, and into the village of Charlemont,
as if he had gone into the camp of an enemy. He was, indeed, a
spy, seeking to discover, not the poverty, but the richness of the
land. His mind, therefore, was like one who has clothed himself
in armor, placed himself in waiting for the foe, and set all his
sentinels on the watch. His caution measured every word ere it was
spoken, every look ere it was shown, every movement ere he suffered
his limbs to make it. The muscles of his face, were each put under
curb and chain--the smiles of the lip and the glances of the eyes,
were all subdued to precision, and permitted to go forth, only
under special guard and restriction. In tone, look, and manner, he
strove as nearly as he might to resemble the worthy but simple-minded
man, who had so readily found a worthy adherent and pupil in him;
and his efforts at deception might be held to be sufficiently
successful, if the frank confiding faith of the aged heads of the
Hinkley family be the fitting test of his experiment.
With them he was soon perfectly at home--his own carriage seemed
to them wondrously becoming, and the approbation of John Cross was
of itself conclusive.
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