" Shall we let the bugles sing truce" ? he smiled down at her, a wide flashing smile that had impudence in it but no shame for his own actions or condemnation for hers.
" Spare me the pain, " replied she, " of repeating to you circumstances which I am ashamed to have observed, and which have convinced me but too much of my own weakness" .
For the life of me I could not tie together into one knot all the merits of the deceased duke, which is why (to my shame), his demise left me cold and even (may the Lord God forgive me! )