. One puts up with it. And then the example of others who are no
better than yourself, and yet make good countenance....
    His voice ceased.
    That young man - you will observe - had none of these inducements - at least
at the moment, I remarked.
    He raised his eyebrows forgivingly: I don't say; I don't say. The young man
in question might have had the best dispositions - the best dispositions, he
repeated, wheezing a little.
    I am glad to see you taking a lenient view, I said. His own feeling in the
matter was - ah! - hopeful, and...
    The shuffle of his feet under the table interrupted me. He drew up his heavy
eyelids. Drew up, I say - no other expression can describe the steady
deliberation of the act - and at last was disclosed completely to me. I was
confronted by two narrow grey circlets, like two tiny steel rings around the
profound blackness of the pupils. The sharp glance, coming from that massive
body, gave a notion of extreme efficiency, like a razor-edge on a battle-axe.
Pardon, he said punctiliously. His right hand went up, and he swayed forward.
Allow me... I contended that one may get on knowing very well that one's courage
does not come of itself (ne vient pas tout seul). There's nothing much in that
to get upset about. One truth the more ought not to make life impossible.... But
the honour - the honour, monsieur!... The honour... that is real - that is! And
what life may be worth when... he got on his feet with a ponderous impetuosity,
as a startled ox might scramble up from the grass... when the honour is gone -
ah ça! par exemple - I can offer no opinion. I can offer no opinion - because -
monsieur - I know nothing of it.
    I had risen, too, and, trying to throw infinite politeness into our
attitudes, we faced each other mutely, like two china dogs on a mantlepiece.
Hang the fellow! he had pricked the bubble. The blight of futility that lies in
wait for men's speeches had fallen upon our conversation, and made it a thing of
empty sounds. Very well, I said, with a disconcerted smile, but couldn't it
reduce itself to not being found out? He made as if to retort readily, but when
he spoke he had changed his mind
