Besides, if Ida's society had charms
for Colonel Quaritch, his society had almost if not quite as much
charm for her. It may be remembered that on the night when they first
met she had spoken to herself of him as the kind of man whom she would
like to marry. The thought was a passing one, and it may be safely
said that she had not since entertained any serious idea of marriage
in connection with Colonel Quaritch. The only person whom there seemed
to be the slightest probability of her marrying was Edward Cossey, and
the mere thought of this was enough to make the whole idea of
matrimony repugnant to her.
But this notwithstanding, day by day she found Harold Quaritch's
society more congenial. Herself by nature, and also to a certain
degree by education, a cultured woman, she rejoiced to find in him an
entirely kindred spirit. For beneath his somewhat rugged and
unpromising exterior, Harold Quaritch hid a vein of considerable
richness. Few of those who associated with him would have believed
that the man had a side to his nature which was almost poetic, or that
he was a ripe and finished scholar, and, what is more, not devoid of a
certain dry humour. Then he had travelled far and seen much of men and
manners, gathering up all sorts of quaint odds and ends of
information.
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