He was smallish in stature, but well set and as nimble as a goat; his face was of a good open expression, but sun-burnt very dark, and heavily freckled and pitted wit the small-pox; his eyes were unusually light and had a kind of dancing madness in them, that was both engaging and alarming ; and when he took off his great-coat, he laid a pair of fine silver-mounted pistols on the table, and I saw that he was belted with a great sword. His manners, besides, were elegant, and he pledged the captain handsomely. Altogether I thought of him, at the first sight, that here was a man I would rather call my friend than my enemy.

– David Balfour

This is our first introduction to Stewart, or Alan Breck. Stevenson re-introduces us to him a few pages later where he shares his name.

It’s a wonderful description, full of metaphor. But also full of contrast:

Alan is: smallish in stature, but well set

With eyes that were both engaging and alarming

A man of violence, but also a gentleman:

he laid a pair of fine silver-mounted pistols on the table, and I saw that he was belted with a great sword. His manners, besides, were elegant, and he pledged the captain handsomely.

Stevenson, Robert Louis. Kidnapped. New York: Running Press, 1989. pp71