It is possible that there was in him also a strain of cruelty, undeveloped but radical.
Life so far had evolved the best in him; he had been cheery and candid.
Now he travelled back into new avenues of his mind and found strange, aboriginal passions, fully adapted to the present situation.

Vulgar anger and reproaches were not after his nature.

He suddenly found sources of refined but desperate retaliation.

He drew upon them.

He would do something to humiliate his people and the girl who had spoiled his life.