C.—­To apply the hand upon the same face with the extremities of the fingers upward, is to contain, is to show the object—­it is to disclose:  “I affirm; you cannot doubt me; I open my heart; behold me!”

There are, then, nine affirmations, which are explained by a mere view of the cube and its faces.

The twelve edges of the cube give a double affirmation; the angles, a triple affirmation.  Example for the edges:  To place the hand on the back edge, means:  “I protect and I demonstrate.”

There are three movements or inflections of the hand which must be pointed out:  to hover, to insinuate, to envelop.

The three rhythmic actions of the hand must not be passed over in silence:  to incline, to fall, to be precipitated.

The aspects of the hands would be simply telegraphic movements, were it not for the inflections of the voice, and, above all, the expression of the eyes.  The expressions of the hand correspond to the voice.  The hands are the last thing demanded in a gesture; but they must not remain motionless, as (if they were stiff, for instance) they might say more than was necessary.

The hands are clasped in adoration, for it seems as if we held the thing we love, that we desire.

The rubbing of the hands denotes joy, or an eager thirst for action; in the absence of anything else to caress, we take the hand, we communicate our joy to it.

There is a difference between the caress and the rubbing of the hands.

In the caress, the hand extends eagerly, and passes lightly, undulatingly, for fear of harming.  There is an elevation of the shoulders.

The hand is an additional expression of the face.  The movement must begin with the face, the hand only completes and interprets the facial expression.  The head and hand cannot act simultaneously to express the same sentiment.  One could not say no with head and hands at the same time.  The head commands and precedes the movement of the hand.

The eyes, and not the head, may be parallel with the hand and the other agents.

The hand with its palm upward may be caressing, if there is an elevation of the eyebrow; repellent with the eyebrow concentric.

The waving hand may have much sense, according to the expression of the face.

The eye is the essential agent, the hand is only the reverberatory agent; hence it must show less energy than the eye.

Of the Fingers.

Each finger has its separate function, but it is exclusive of the great expressions which constitute the accords of nine.  These are interesting facts, but they do not spring naturally from the fountain of gesture.  They are more intellectual than moral.

In a synthetic action all the fingers converge.  A very energetic will is expressed by the clenched fist.

In dealing with a fact in detail, as we say:  “Remark this well,” all the fingers open to bid us concern ourselves only with the part in dispute.  This is analysis; it is not moral, it is intellectual.