He was not an old man, though he affected to be so--walking very slowly and deliberately, coughing asthmatically, glimmering with his eyes, and mumbling like a witch.

iron gray:

The Bank of the Commonwealth suspension resulted from overcertifying the checks of its former president, Edward Haight, to the amount of $225,000, of which Mr. Haight could only make good $60,000.

I really enjoyed this film and whilst I can see how a die hard Alice snob would baulk at the dramatic departure from the text, that departure is so Burtonesquely brilliant and filled with its own wonder that I think it matters not a jot.