His astonishing perfection of feature was obvious to anybody.

Yet any inconsiderable human--a peasant of the Campagna, a Venetian gondolier, a swaggering brigand of Macedonia--could be astonishingly beautiful.

And, being astonishingly beautiful, that was the beginning and end of him.

But behind this merely physical attractiveness of his guest glowed a lambent intelligence, quick as lightning.

There was humorous challenge in those laughing and lucent dark eyes.
"Do you know your Balzac ?" he asked.
"Oh, yes," said Paul.
"I wonder if you do," said Colonel Winwood.