"But no dinginess of travel or shabbiness of attire could tarnish the splendor that radiated from his youth and strength. The old man upon whose temper his remarks were doing such deadly work was combed and curried to a finish, a bridegroom swept and garnished; but alas for age! Had I been the bride, I should have taken the giant, dust and all."
2. I love that southern accent of his. The book is peppered with mentions of his accent.
"The voice was Southern and gentle and drawling..."
"Internal mirth seemed to highten the local flavor of his speech."
"The Virginian spoke with a reassuring drawl."
3. He frequently makes me laugh aloud. He's as mischeivous as a school boy!
"'Oh, don't go to get married again, Uncle Hughey! What's the use o' being married?'
"'What's the use?' echoed the bridegroom, with scorn. 'Hm! When you grow up you'll think different.'
"'Course I expect to think different when my age is different. I'm havin' the thoughts proper to twenty-four, and you're havin' the thoughts proper to sixty.'
"'Fifty!' shrieked Uncle Hughey, jumping in the air.
"The Southerner took a tone of self reproach. 'Now, how could I forget you was fifty,' he murmured, 'when you been telling it to the boys so careful for the last ten years.'"
---
"'Oh, you musn't mind him,' drawled the Virginian. 'He's one of those box headed jokers that goes around openin' and shuttin' doors that-a-way. We call him harmless.'"
4. He's determined.
"Molly Wood was regarding him saucily. 'I don't think I like you,' said she.
"'That's all square enough. You're going to love me before we get through.'"
5. He's not to be trifled with.
"...Trampas spoke. 'Your bet, you -----------------.'
"The Virginian's pistol came out, and his hand lay on the table, holding it unaimed. And with a voice as gentle as ever, the voice that sounded almost like a caress, but drawling a very little more than usual, so that there was almost a space between each word, he issued his orders to the man Trampas: --
"'When you call me that, smile!' And he looked at Trampas across the table.
"Yes, the voice was gentle. But in my ears it seemed as if the bell of death was ringing; and silence, like a stroke, fell on the whole room."
---
"'Hell!' he said, at the sight of the distant town. Then truculently, to the Virginian, 'I told you I was going to get a bottle here.'
"'Have your bottle, then, said the deputy foreman, and kicked him off into Dakota.... The Virginian had aimed his pistol at about the same time with his boot. Therefore the man sat in Dakota quietly, watching us go away into Montana, and offering no objections. Just before he became too small to make out, we saw him rise and remove himself back toward the saloons."
6. He has the admiration of nearly all of those who know him, and some who don't - both men and women.
"The player looked at the Virginian, doubtfully. 'Well,' he said, 'I don't know what you folks call a dangerous man.'
"'Not him!' excaimed the dealer, with admiration. 'He's a brave man. That's different.'"
---
"Molly was flustered. She did not at all want him to go. No one of her admirers had ever been like this creature. The fringed leathern chapperoes, the cartridge belt, the flannel shirt, the knotted scarf at the neck, these things were now an old story to her. Since her arrival she had seen young men and old in plenty dressed thus. But worn by this man now standing at her door, they seemed to radiate romance. She did not want him to go - and she wished to win her battle."
---
"Indeed, the male crowd now was a goodly sight to see, how the men edged close, drawn by a common tie.... All eyes watched the Virginian and gave him their entire sympathy....Even the Indian chiefs had come to see... They naturally understood nothing of it, yet magnetically knew that the Virginian was the great man. And they watched with approval."
I could go on and on and on... but I'll spare y'all! This post is already pretty long! Maybe someday I'll post on this topic again? We'll see...
