It was necessary that one should not be either too fat or too lean.
The changer had foreseen only ordinary men.
He had taken the measure of the species from the first rascal who came to hand, who is neither stout nor thin, neither tall nor short.
Hence adaptations which were sometimes difficult and from which the Changer''s clients extricated themselves as best they might.
So much the worse for the exceptions!
The suit of the statesman, for instance, black from head to foot, and consequently proper, would have been too large for Pitt and too small for Castelcicala.
The costume of a statesman was designated as follows in the Changer''s catalogue; we copy:
"A coat of black cloth, trowsers of black wool, a silk waistcoat, boots and linen."
On the margin there stood:
ex-ambassador, and a note which we also copy:
"In a separate box, a neatly frizzed peruke, green glasses, seals, and two small quills an inch long, wrapped in cotton."
All this belonged to the statesman, the ex-ambassador. This whole costume was, if we may so express ourselves, debilitated; the seams were white, a vague button-hole yawned at one of the elbows; moreover, one of the coat buttons was missing on the breast; but this was only detail; as the hand of the statesman should always be thrust into his coat and laid upon his heart, its function was to conceal the absent button.