De Stancy, advancing from where he had stood for a few moments, seated himself comfortably beside Miss Power.
On the other side of her he now perceived the same queer elderly foreigner (as he appeared) who had come to her in the garden that morning.

Somerset was surprised to perceive also that Paula with very little hesitation introduced him and De Stancy to each other.

A conversation ensued between the three, none the less animated for being carried on in a whisper, in which Paula seemed on strangely intimate terms with the stranger, and the stranger to show feelings of great friendship for De Stancy, considering that they must be new acquaintances.
The play proceeded, and Somerset still lingered in his corner.

He could not help fancying that De Stancy's ingenious relinquishment of his part, and its obvious reason, was winning Paula's admiration.

His conduct was homage carried to unscrupulous and inconvenient lengths, a sort of thing which a woman may chide, but which she can never resent.