Of course, we keep to ourselves the woman we prefer; but we have to beware of an uxorious preference, or we are likely to resemble the Irishman with his wolf, and dance imprisoned in the hug of our captive.
For it is the creature's characteristic to be lastingly awake, in her moments of utmost slavishness most keenly awake to the chances of the snaring of the stronger.

Be on guard, then.

Lord Ormont had been on guard then and always: his instinct of commandership kept him on guard.
He was on guard now when his Aminta played, not the indignant and the frozen, but the genially indifferent.

She did it well, he admitted.
Had it been the indignant she played, he might have stooped to cajole the handsome queen of gypsies she was, without acknowledgement of her right to complain.

Feeling that he was about to be generous, he shrugged.