Also it robbed his surrender of its sting.

He rang the bell; then opened the smoking-room door for her and bade her good day quite in the manner and tone of an English gentleman.
On the threshold, like the well-mannered child she was, she paused to thank him again.

When she went out he shut the door quite gently; and by the time he had settled down again in his easy chair, he was feeling truly magnanimous..