It often happens that in situations of unrestraint, where there is no thought of the eye of criticism, real feeling glides into a mode of manifestation not easily distinguishable from rodomontade.

A veneer of affectation overlies a bulk of truth, with the evil consequence, if perceived, that the substance is estimated by the superficies, and the whole rejected.
Grace, however, was no specialist in men's manners, and she admired the sentiment without thinking of the form.

And she was embarrassed: "lovely creature" made explanation awkward to her gentle modesty.
"But can it be," said he, suddenly, "that you really were here ?" "I have to confess that I have been in the room once before," faltered she.

"The woman showed me in, and went away to fetch you; but as she did not return, I left." "And you saw me asleep," he murmured, with the faintest show of humiliation.
"Yes--IF you were asleep, and did not deceive me." "Why do you say if ?" "I saw your eyes open in the glass, but as they were closed when I looked round upon you, I thought you were perhaps deceiving me.
"Never," said Fitzpiers, fervently--"never could I deceive you." Foreknowledge to the distance of a year or so in either of them might have spoiled the effect of that pretty speech.

Never deceive her! But they knew nothing, and the phrase had its day.
Grace began now to be anxious to terminate the interview, but the compelling power of Fitzpiers's atmosphere still held her there.