The human face was the one attraction to him in the universe.

In deep fact, it is so to everyone; I state but the commonest reality in creation; only in Gibbie the fact had come to the surface; the common thing was his in uncommon degree and potency.

Gibbie knew no music except the voice of man and woman; at least no other had as yet affected him.

To be sure he had never heard much.

Drunken sea-songs he heard every night almost; and now and then on Sundays he ran through a zone of psalm-singing; but neither of those could well be called music.