Without being humorous he was a good-humoured man. His habitual, gentle
smile was a true expression. More of a European than of a Spaniard he
had that truly aristocratic nature which is inclined to credit every
honest man with something of its own nobility and in its judgment is
altogether independent of class feeling. He believed Lingard to be an
honest man and he never troubled his head to classify him, except in
the sense that he found him an interesting character. He had a sort of
esteem for the outward personality and the bearing of that seaman. He
found in him also the distinction of being nothing of a type. He was a
specimen to be judged only by its own worth. With his natural gift of
insight d'Alcacer told himself that many overseas adventurers of history
were probably less worthy because obviously they must have been less
simple. He didn't, however, impart those thoughts formally to Mrs.
Travers. In fact he avoided discussing Lingard with Mrs. Travers who, he
thought, was quite intelligent enough to appreciate the exact shade of
his attitude. If that shade was fine, Mrs. Travers was fine, too; and
there was no need to discuss the colours of this adventure. Moreover,
she herself seemed to avoid all direct discussion of the Lingard element
in their fate. D'Alcacer was fine enough to be aware that those two
seemed to understand each other in a way that was not obvious even to
themselves.
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