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profile view, were the items ordinarily given in a general description.
He had a low-toned voice and slow manner, in which, however, there was
no affectation. What was the use of doing anything with any particular
effort? He had no antipathy for persons of other habits; the world was
large. It was noticed, however (or rather it was _not_ noticed), that he
generally got away from them as soon as he quietly could. He had lived
to be thirty-two years old, and had on the whole enjoyed life so far,
although he was neither especially important, handsome, nor rich. The
secret of this lay in one fact: women liked him.

What was it that they found to like in him? This was the question asked
often in irritation by his brother man. And naturally. For the women
themselves could not give a reasonable reason. The corresponding side of
life is not the same, since men admire with a reason; the woman is
plainly beautiful, or brilliant, or fascinating round whom they gather.
At Caryl's seven or eight men were handsomer than Heathcote; a number
were more brilliant; many were richer. Yet almost all of these had
discovered, at one time or another, that the eyes they were talking to
were following Heathcote furtively; and they had seen attempts that made
them tingle with anger--all the more so because they were so
infinitesimally delicate and fine, as became the actions of well-bred
women. One or two, who had married, had had explained to them
elaborately by their wives what it was they (in their free days, of
course) had liked in Heathcote--elaborately, if not clearly. The
husbands gathered generally that it was only a way he had, a manner; the
liking was half imaginative, after all. Now Heathcote was not in the
least imaginative. But the women were.

Manly qualities, good hearts, handsome faces, and greater wealth held
their own in fact against him. Marriages took place in his circle,
wedding chimes pealed, and brides were happy under their veils in spite
of him. Yet, as histories of lives go, there was a decided balance in
his favor of feminine regard, and no one could deny it.

He had now but a small income, and had been obliged to come down to a
very simple manner of life. Those who disliked him said that of course
he would marry money. As yet, however, he had shown no signs of
fulfilling his destiny in this respect. He seldom took the trouble to
express his opinions, and therefore passed as having none; but those who
were clear-si