'Laurens maintains a cheap romantic streak that I continually underestimate. He is not unlike you in many ways. But, unlike you, he has no excuse for it. The man is over three centuries old. I assumed — wanted to assume, perhaps — that his values would reflect that. That the rest was just posturing, speechmaking for the herd.' Kawahara made a negligent what-can-you-do gesture with one slim arm. 'Wishful thinking, I'm afraid.'