"The case shall be stated, and you shall then answer me Yes, or No; and according to your answer shall I ever after estimate you." The scarce-suppressed impetus of a most irritable nature glowed in his cheek, fed with sharp shafts his glances, a nature--the injudicious, the mawkish, the hesitating, the sullen, the affected, above all, the unyielding, might quickly render violent and implacable.

Silence and attention was the best balm to apply: I listened.
"The whole matter is going to fail," he began.

"Louise Vanderkelkov has fallen ill--at least so her ridiculous mother asserts; for my part, I feel sure she might play if she would: it is only good-will that lacks.
She was charged with a _role_, as you know, or do _not_ know--it is equal: without that _role_ the play is stopped.

There are now but a few hours in which to learn it: not a girl in this school would hear reason, and accept the task.

Forsooth, it is not an interesting, not an amiable, part; their vile _amour-propre_--that base quality of which women have so much--would revolt from it.