In his progress, Robin encountered many gay and
gallant figures. Embroidered garments of showy colors, enormous
periwigs, gold-laced hats, and silver-hilted swords, glided past
him, and dazzled his optics. Travelled youth, imitators of the
European fine gentlemen of the period, trod jauntily along,
half-dancing to the fashionable tunes which they hummed, and making
poor Robin ashamed of his quiet and natural gait. At length, after
many pauses to examine the gorgeous display of goods in the shop
windows, and after suffering some rebukes for the impertinence of
his scrutiny into people's faces, the major's kinsman found himself
near the steepled building, still unsuccessful in his search. As
yet, however, he had seen only one side of the thronged street, so
Robin crossed, and continued the same sort of inquisition down the
opposite pavement, with stronger hopes than the philosopher seeking an
honest man, but with no better fortune. He had arrived about midway
towards the lower end, from which his course began, when he
overheard the approach of someone, who struck down a cane on the
flagstones at every step, uttering, at regular intervals, two
sepulchral hems.
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