a tough but sensitively chiseled nose and faunlike mouth surrounded by a scraggly French goatee — in short, a face that so captivated Swedes that all were compelled to look over to where he sat. He moved as softly and quietly as a bear and had the lanky appearance of a sailor from Småland. One began thinking of shipwrecks and sleigh rides when he entered a room.
The man's face was characterized by a strong yet delicate nose and lips that seemed almost mythical, accompanied by a shaggy French beard — in short, a countenance that held the attention of all Swedes. He moved with an uncanny silence and had a lanky build reminiscent of a sailor from Småland. The mere sight of him evoked thoughts of maritime disasters and winter adventures.