That has been his object, Harry, and perhaps you will tell me what success he has had." "Lady Ongar!" "You know the old story, that the drop which is ever dropping will wear the stone.

And after all why should your faith in me be as hard even as a stone ?" "Do you believe that what he said had any such effect ?" "It is very hard to look into another person's heart; and the dearer and nearer that heart is to your own, the greater, I think, is the difficulty.

I know that man's heart--what he calls his heart--but I don't know yours." For a moment or two Clavering made no answer, and then, when he did speak, he went back from himself to the count.
"If what you surmise of him be true, he must be a very devil.

He cannot be a man--" "Man or devil, what matters which he be?
Which is the worst, Harry, and what is the difference?
The Fausts of this day want no Mephistopheles to teach them guile or to harden their hearts." "I do not believe that there are such men.

There may be one." "One, Harry! What was Lord Ongar?
What is your cousin Hugh?
What is this Count Pateroff?
Are they not all of the same nature--hard as stone, desirous simply of indulging their own appetites, utterly without one generous feeling, incapable even of the idea of caring for any one?
Is it not so?
In truth, this count is the best of the three I have named.
With him a woman would stand a better chance than with either of the others." "Nevertheless, if that was his motive, he is a devil." "He shall be a devil if you say so.