Story of the Foreign Fairy Chapter 80

There is a very old house on the street. It has a history of almost 300 years. This can be seen from its beams; on it are carved tulips and hop patterns with vines carved in the middle. is the year it was built. On it one can also see the entire psalm engraved in ancient calligraphy. On the stringers above each window were carved sneering facial masks. The second floor protrudes much more outward than the first floor; under the eaves there is a lead water basin with a faucet engraved on it. The rainwater should have flowed from the dragon's mouth, but instead it came out of its belly because there was a hole in the water pan.

All the other houses in the street were new and neat; their walls were light and their windows were wide, and one could see that they wanted nothing to do with this old house. They were no doubt thinking: "How long can that old garbage heap remain a laughing stock on the street? Its hanging windows protrude too far out of the wall, and no one can see what's over there from our windows." What happened? Its staircase was as wide as a palace staircase and as high as a church tower. Its iron railings were like the doors of a family vault with brass balls on them. How ridiculous!"

There are also neat new houses opposite it. They feel the same way. But here is a child sitting in the window. He has a ruddy face and sparkling eyes. He particularly liked this old house, whether in sunlight or moonlight. Seeing the walls with all the plaster peeled off, he sat and imagined many strange pictures. What would this street, with its staircases, hanging windows, and pointed gables, have looked like in ancient times? He could see soldiers holding halberds, and water traps shaped like dragons and sharks.

This is indeed a house worth seeing! There lived an old man there. He wore a pair of velvet breeches and a coat with large brass buttons; he also wore a wig, which was evident at a glance to be a real wig. Every morning an old servant came to clean his room and run errands for him. Otherwise, the old man in velvet breeches lived alone in the old house. Occasionally he came to the window and looked outside. At this time the child nodded to him as an answer. They got to know each other and became friends, although they never exchanged a word. But in fact this is not necessary. A child once heard his parents say: "The old man opposite is very rich, but he is very lonely!"

In ancient times, European gentlemen and wealthy people often wore wigs to cover their baldness and at the same time look more dignified.