Final answer:
The correct answer is option A. Hard, cold, cruel.
Step-by-step explanation:
The warder at the beginning of the story can be best characterized by the words hard, cold, and cruel (Option A). The text describes the warder's environment as filled with cold and intangible elements, such as the cold breeze, cold sun, and distant, cold laughter.
Furthermore, the warder's own physical attributes are portrayed as growing colder and harder, suggesting a sense of emotional hardness and detachment. Men give him a wide berth as he walks, indicating that he may be feared or avoidant of warmth and connection.