Lady Castlemain and Charles were--well, there had been talk about them, to say the least.
The court ladies laughed when George declined to drink himself drunk or refused to help his former companions fleece a stranger.

Nell Gwynn told him that even his language had grown too polite for polite society, and, lacking emphasis, was flat as stale wine.

In truth, it may well be said that George had set out to mend his ways under adverse conditions.

But he _had_ set out to do it, and that in itself was a great deal, for there is a likable sort of virtue in every good intent.

He had reached the first of the three great R's in the act of repentance, Recognition; Regret and Recession being the second and third--all necessary to regeneration.