Rafael Sabatini

“ The debonair Duke was airily sympathetic. He condoled and jested in a breath, his jests being in themselves a promise that all this should now be mended. But when Holles came to the matter of the Bombay command, his grace's laughter sounded a melancholy note.
"And it was I who robbed you of this," he cried. "Why, see how mysteriously Destiny has been at work! But this multiplies my debt. It adds something for which I must make amends. Rest assured that I shall do so. I shall find a way to set you on the road to fortune. But we must move cautiously, as you realize. ”

“ This time the Duke answered him.
"By whom? By the stars. They are the only true prophets, and their messages are plain to him who can read them. I suppose you never sought that lore?"
Holles stared at him a moment. Then he shook his head, and smiled in a manner to imply his contempt of charlatanry.
"I am a soldier, sir," he said.
"Why, so am I—when the occasion serves. But that does not prevent me from being a reader of the heavens, a writer of verse, a law-giver in the north, a courtier here, and several other things besides. Man in his time plays many parts. ”

“ He smiled a little at the Colonel's protestations, and passed to a tactful, ingratiating insistence with all the charm of which he could be master.
"I honour you for your refusal, but . . ." He continued to hold out the purse. "See. It is not a gift I offer you, but an advance, a trifling loan, which you shall repay me presently when I shall have made it easy for you to so do. Come, sir, there is that between us which is not to be repaid in gold. Your refusal would offend me."
And Holles, be it confessed, was glad enough to have the path thus smoothed for his self-respect. ”

“ Who plays one only may as well play none. To live, my friend, you must sip at many wells of life."
He developed that thesis, discoursing easily, wittily, and with the indefinable charm he could command, a charm which was fastening upon our adventurer now even as it had fastened upon him years ago in that hour of their brief but fateful meeting. ”