Had he been born with the gifts of patience and a fluent tongue, and not a petty noble, he might have been for the people, as knowing them the greater power.

He sees that their knowledge of their power must eventually come to them.

In the meantime his party is forcible enough to assure him he is not fighting a losing game at present: and he is, no doubt, by lineage and his traditions monarchical.

He is curiously simple, not really cynical.

His apparent cynicism is sheer irritability.