A strong man, having once felt that revival of manly instinct, would have turned upon her and terrified her and mastered her; and, within himself, his heart might have broken because he had ever loved such a woman.

But Bosio sat still in his seat and said nothing more, though his brow was moist with a creeping, painful, trembling emotion that twisted his heart and tore his delicate nerves.

He felt that his hands were very cold, but that he could not speak.

She dominated him still, and he was ashamed of the weakness, and of his own desire to go and comfort her and forget the things she had said.
If he had spoken to her, she would have burst into tears; but his silence betrayed that he had no strength, and she suddenly felt that she was strong again, and that there was hope, and that he might marry Veronica, after all.

A woman rarely breaks down to very tears before a man weaker than herself, though she may be near it.
"You must marry her," said Matilde, with returning steadiness.