Story of the Door

           Mr.Uttersonthelawyerwasamanofaruggedcountenance,thatwasneverlightedbyasmile; cold,scantyandembarrassedindiscourse;backwardinsentiment;lean,long,dusty,dreary,andyetsomehowlovable. Atfriendlymeetings,andwhenthewinewastohistaste,somethingeminentlyhumanbeaconedfromhiseye; somethingindeedwhichneverfounditswayintohistalk,butwhichspokenotonlyinthesesilentsymbolsoftheafter-dinnerface,butmoreoftenandloudlyintheactsofhislife. Hewasausterewithhimself; drankginwhenhewasalone,tomortifyatasteforvintages;andthoughheenjoyedthetheatre,hadnotcrossedthedoorsofonefortwentyyears. Buthehadanapprovedtoleranceforothers; sometimeswondering,almostwithenvy,atthehighpressureofspiritsinvolvedintheirmisdeeds; andinanyextremityinclinedtohelpratherthantoreprove. 

           “IinclinetoCain’sheresy,”heusedtosay. “Iletmybrothergotothedevilinhisquaintlyownway.” Inthischaracter,itwasfrequentlyhisfortunetobethelastreputableacquaintanceandthelastgoodinfluenceinthelivesofdown-goingmen. Andtosuchasthese,solongastheycameabouthischambers,henevermarkedashadeofchangeinhisdemeanour. 

           NodoubtthefeatwaseasytoMr.Utterson;forhewasundemonstrativeatthebest,andevenhisfriendshipseemedtobefoundedinasimilarcatholicityofgood-nature.