Perhaps nothing more than the thought coming into his head that this was "a possible woman." Followed this waylaying! Its resolute character makes me think it was the chin's doing; that "common mortal" touch which stands in such good stead to some women.

Because men, I mean really masculine men, those whose generations have evolved an ideal woman, are often very timid.

Who wouldn't be before the ideal?
It's your sentimental trifler, who has just missed being nothing at all, who is enterprising, simply because it is easy to appear enterprising when one does not mean to put one's belief to the test.
Well, whatever it was that encouraged him, Captain Anthony stuck to Flora de Barral in a manner which in a timid man might have been called heroic if it had not been so simple.

Whether policy, diplomacy, simplicity, or just inspiration, he kept up his talk, rather deliberate, with very few pauses.

Then suddenly as if recollecting himself: "It's funny.