"It is impossible!" "Then I beg your Majesty to expect the impossible again." The Chevalier drew his hand across his eyes and stared afresh at Wogan.
The audacity of the exploit and the imperturbable manner of its proposal caught his breath away.

He rose from his chair and took a turn or two across the room.
Wogan watched his every gesture.

It would be difficult he knew to wring the permission he needed from his dejected master, and his unruffled demeanour was a calculated means of persuasion.

An air of confidence was the first requisite.

In reality, however, Wogan was not troubled at this moment by any thought of failure.