If he had not liked Claudius so much, he would have been angry at him for daring to propose to this beautiful young friend of his.

But then Claudius was Claudius, and even the Duke saw something in him besides his wealth which gave him a right to aspire to the highest.
"I can't make out," the Duke once said to Barker, "where Claudius got his manners.

He never does anything the least odd; and he always seems at his ease." "I only know he came to Heidelberg ten years ago, and that he is about thirty.

He got his manners somewhere when he was a boy." "Of course, there are lots of good people in Sweden," said the Duke; "but they all have titles, just as they do in Germany.

And Claudius has no title." "No," said Barker pensively, "I never heard him say he had a title." "I don't know anything about it," answered the Duke.