With a square-shaped head and white bushy hair, he would still have looked sturdy if he had not dragged his left foot, throwing it inward at each step he took.

With the left hand, too, he leant heavily on a thick walking-stick.

When M.Sabathier, who had visited Lourdes for six years past, perceived him, he became quite gay.
"Ah!" said he, "it is you, Commander!" Commander was perhaps the old man's name.

But as he was decorated with a broad red riband, he was possibly called Commander on account of his decoration, albeit the latter was that of a mere chevalier.

Nobody exactly knew his story.