half-despotic

Updated: June 7, 2025

"Why won't you stay with me?" she said, giving him the look, half-despotic, half-caressing, with which women who have a right to a man's respect let him know their wishes. "You are going to pillage that coach?" "Pillage? what a word!" she said. "Let me explain to you " "Explain nothing," he said, taking her hand and kissing it with the superficial gallantry of a courtier.

Honoré de Balzac - The Chouans