That may be eccentricity, or he may be proud of his legs.

I don't see why he shouldn't be.

The Prince Regent was proud of his legs, and so was Daniel Lambert, who was also a fat man; HE was proud of his legs.

So was Miss Biffin: she was--no,' added Mrs Nickleby, correcting, herself, 'I think she had only toes, but the principle is the same.' Nicholas looked on, quite amazed at the introduction of this new theme.
Which seemed just what Mrs Nickleby had expected him to be.
'You may well be surprised, Nicholas, my dear,' she said, 'I am sure I was.

It came upon me like a flash of fire, and almost froze my blood.
The bottom of his garden joins the bottom of ours, and of course I had several times seen him sitting among the scarlet-beans in his little arbour, or working at his little hot-beds.