To him, Seraphina was a hated task: like the schoolboy with his Virgil, he had neither will nor leisure to remark her beauties; but when he now beheld her standing illuminated by her passion, new feelings flashed upon him, a frank admiration, a brief sparkle of desire.

He noted both with joy; they were means.

'If I have to play the lover,' thought he, for that was his constant preoccupation, 'I believe I can put soul into it.' Meanwhile, with his usual ponderous grace, he bent before the lady.
'I propose,' she said in a strange voice, not known to her till then, 'that we release the Prince and do not prosecute the war.' 'Ah, madam,' he replied, ''tis as I knew it would be! Your heart, I knew, would wound you when we came to this distasteful but most necessary step.

Ah, madam, believe me, I am not unworthy to be your ally; I know you have qualities to which I am a stranger, and count them the best weapons in the armoury of our alliance:--the girl in the queen--pity, love, tenderness, laughter; the smile that can reward.

I can only command; I am the frowner.