A vulture on board; bald, red, queer-shaped head, featherless red places here
and there on his body, intense great black eyes set in featherless rims of inflamed
flesh; dissipated look; a business-like style, a selfish, conscienceless, murderous
aspect--the very look of a professional assassin, and yet a bird which does
no murder. What was the use of getting him up in that tragic style for so innocent
a trade as his? For this one isn't the sort that wars upon the living, his diet
is offal--and the more out of date it is the better he likes it. Nature should
give him a suit of rusty black; then he would be all right, for he would look
like an undertaker and would harmonize with his business; whereas the way he
is now he is horribly out of true.
- Following the Equator
 |
Quotations | Newspaper Articles | Special Features | Links | Search