II. Humanity Appears upon the Scene, Hand in Hand with Trouble

           Alongtheroadwalkedanoldman.Hewaswhite-headedasamountain,bowedintheshoulders,andfadedingeneralaspect.Heworeaglazedhat,anancientboat-cloak,andshoes;hisbrassbuttonsbearingananchorupontheirface.Inhishandwasasilver-headedwalkingstick,whichheusedasaveritablethirdleg,perseveringlydottingthegroundwithitspointateveryfewinches’interval.Onewouldhavesaidthathehadbeen,inhisday,anavalofficerofsomesortorother.

           Beforehimstretchedthelong,laboriousroad,dry,empty,andwhite.Itwasquiteopentotheheathoneachside,andbisectedthatvastdarksurfaceliketheparting-lineonaheadofblackhair,diminishingandbendingawayonthefurthesthorizon.

           Theoldmanfrequentlystretchedhiseyesaheadtogazeoverthetractthathehadyettotraverse.Atlengthhediscerned,alongdistanceinfrontofhim,amovingspot,whichappearedtobeavehicle,anditprovedtobegoingthesamewayasthatinwhichhehimselfwasjourneying.Itwasthesingleatomoflifethatthescenecontained,anditonlyservedtorenderthegenerallonelinessmoreevident.Itsrateofadvancewasslow,andtheoldmangaineduponitsensibly.

           Whenhedrewnearerheperceivedittobeaspringvan,ordinaryinshape,butsingularincolour,thisbeingaluridred.Thedriverwalkedbesideit;and,likehisvan,hewascompletelyred.Onedyeofthattincturecoveredhisclothes,thecapuponhishead,hisboots,hisface,andhishands.Hewasnottemporarilyoverlaidwiththecolour;itpermeatedhim.

           Theoldmanknewthemeaningofthis.