Then the duke came up to where I stood, folded his arms, and looked me full in the face.
"It is difficult to lose the pleasure of your company, sir," he said.
"If you will depart from here alone," I retorted, "you shall find it the easiest thing in the world.

For, in truth, it is not desire for your society that brings me here." He lifted a hand and tugged at his mustache.
"You have, perhaps, been to the convent ?" he hazarded.
"I have just come from there," I rejoined.
"I am not an Englishman," said he, curling the end of the mustache, "and I do not know how plain an intimation need be to discourage one of your resolute race.

For my part, I should have thought that when a lady accepts the escort of one gentleman, it means that she does not desire that of another." He said this with a great air and an assumption of dignity that contrasted strongly with the unrestrained paroxysms of the night before.

I take it that success--or what seems such--may transform a man as though it changed his very skin.

But I was not skilled to cross swords with him in talk of that kind, so I put my hands in my pockets and leaned against the shutter and said bluntly: "God knows what lies you told her, you see." His white face suddenly flushed; but he held himself in and retorted with a sneer: "A disabled right arm gives a man fine courage." "Nonsense!" said I."I can aim as well with my left;" and that indeed was not very far from the truth.