She had spoken with a kind of brutality which suggested that, whether it is natural or assumed, women have a peculiar blindness to the feelings of men.
The penciling of this note gave Rodney time to recover himself.

Perhaps, for he was a very vain man, he was more hurt that Henry had seen him rebuffed than by the rebuff itself.

He was in love with Katharine, and vanity is not decreased but increased by love; especially, one may hazard, in the presence of one's own sex.

But Rodney enjoyed the courage which springs from that laughable and lovable defect, and when he had mastered his first impulse, in some way to make a fool of himself, he drew inspiration from the perfect fit of his evening dress.

He chose a cigarette, tapped it on the back of his hand, displayed his exquisite pumps on the edge of the fender, and summoned his self-respect.
"You've several big estates round here, Otway," he began.