In short, had it not been for his magisterial and stupendous nose, the chevalier might have been thought a trifle too dainty.
We must here compel ourselves to spoil this portrait by the avowal of a littleness.

The chevalier put cotton in his ears, and wore, appended to them, two little ear-rings representing negroes' heads in diamonds, of admirable workmanship.

He clung to these singular appendages, explaining that since his ears had been bored he had ceased to have headaches (he had had headaches).

We do not present the chevalier as an accomplished man; but surely we can pardon, in an old celibate whose heart sends so much blood to his left cheek, these adorable qualities, founded, perhaps, on some sublime secret history.
Besides, the Chevalier de Valois redeemed those negroes' heads by so many other graces that society felt itself sufficiently compensated.

He really took such immense trouble to conceal his age and give pleasure to his friends.