He bore some resemblance to a retired chief of a civil service office; he had the peculiar face of a bureaucrat, less sallow than pallid, on which public business, vexations, and disgust leave their imprint,--a face lined by thought, and also by the continual restraints familiar to those who are trained not to speak their minds freely.

It was often illumined by smiles characteristic of men who alternately believe all and believe nothing, who are accustomed to see and hear all without being startled, and to fathom the abysses which self-interest hollows in the depths of the human heart.
Below the hair, which was less white than discolored, and worn flattened to the head, was a fine, sagacious forehead, the yellow tones of which harmonized well with the scanty tufts of thin hair.

His face, with the features set close together, bore some likeness to that of a fox, all the more because his nose was short and pointed.

In speaking, he spluttered at the mouth, which was broad like that of most great talkers,--a habit which led Goupil to say, ill-naturedly, "An umbrella would be useful when listening to him," or, "The justice rains verdicts." His eyes looked keen behind his spectacles, but if he took the glasses off his dulled glance seemed almost vacant.

Though he was naturally gay, even jovial, he was apt to give himself too important and pompous an air.