But he had been clever enough to dress himself always with simplicity and to avoid the appearance of thought about his outward man.

As yet the little world of his associates had hardly found out how callous were his affections,--or rather how devoid he was of affection.

His airs and his appearance, joined with some cleverness, had carried him through even the viciousness of his life.

In one matter he had marred his name, and by a moment's weakness had injured his character among his friends more than he had done by the folly of three years.

There had been a quarrel between him and a brother officer, in which he had been the aggressor; and, when the moment came in which a man's heart should have produced manly conduct, he had first threatened and had then shown the white feather.