Yetwhereaswewereout-at-elbows，thecarpentersweresleek，respectable，monied，well-cladfellows。Also，therewassomethingdourandirritatingaboutthem，since，foronething，theyhadfailedtorespondtoourgreetingonourfirstappearance，andeyeduswithnothingbutdislikeandsuspicion。Hence，hurtbytheirchillyattitude，wehadwithdrawnfromtheirimmediateneighbourhood，constructedacausewayofsteppingstonestotheeasternbankoftherivulet，andtakenupourabodebeneaththechaoticgreymistswhichenvelopedthemountainsideinthatdirection。
Also，overthecarpenterstherewasaforeman——amanwhosebonyframe，cladinawhiteshirtandapairofwhitetrousers，lookedalwaysasthoughitwereready-attiredfordeath。Moreover，heworenocaptoconcealtheyellowpatchofbaldnesswhichcoveredmostofhishead，and，inaddition，hisnosewassquatandgrey，hisneckandfacehadoverthemskinofaporous，pumice-likeconsistency，hiseyesweregreenanddim，anduponhisfeaturestherewasstampedadeadanddisagreeableexpression。Tobecandid，however，behindthedarklipslayasetoffine，closeteeth，whilethehairsofthegreybeardabeardtrimmedaftertheTartarfashionwerethickand，seemingly，soft。
Neverdidthismanputahandactuallytothework；alwayshekeptroamingaboutwiththelarge，rigid-lookingfingersofhishandstuckedintohisbelt，andhisfixedandexpressionlesseyesscanningthebarraque，themen，andtheworkashislipsventedsomesuchlinesas:
OhGodourFather，boundhastThouAcrownofthornsuponmybrow！
Listentomyhumbleprayer！