'But so handsome, don't you think? Handsomer than Mr. Ericson, I think.'
'One doesn't think much about Mr. Ericson's personal appearance,' Helena said, in a tone which distinctly implied that, according to her view of things, Mr. Ericson was quite above personal appearance.
'Well, of course, he is a great man, and he did wonderful things; and he was a Dictator——'
'And will be again,' said Helena.
'What troubles me is this,' said the Duchess, 'I don't see much of the Dictator in him. Do you?'
'How do you mean, Duchess?' Helena asked evasively.
'Well, he don't seem to me to have much of a ruler of men about him. He is a charming man, and a brainy man, I dare say; but the sort of man that takes hold at once and manages things and puts things straight all of his own strength—well, he don't seem to be quite that sort of man—now, does he?'
'We haven't seen him tried,' Helena said.
'No, of course; we haven't had a chance that way, but it seems to me as if you could get some kind of notion about a man's being a great commander-in-chief without actually seeing him directing a field of battle. Now I don't appear to get that impression from Mr. Ericson.'
'Mr. Ericson wouldn't care to show off probably. He likes to keep himself in the background,' Helena said warmly.