I should rather be their victim than be overlooked; and what I should have chosen for myself I desired for Max.

I had no future save in him; I had been overlooked in the by-ways.
At the time of our journeying all Europe turned on a Burgundian pivot, and the Fates were busy in that land.

It was the stage of the world, on which the strong, the great, and the enterprising of mankind were playing; and I hoped that Max, who was strong and enterprising, would find his part in this Burgundian drama.

I was willing to risk sacrificing him, though he was dearer to me than the blood of my heart, if I might stand even a small chance to make him great.
At strange variance with my philosophy, I had faith in Max's luck.

It was more than faith; it was a fixed, intuitive conviction that he would win.