My mother marvelled at his being so punctilious although so busy, so friendly although so much in demand, never realising that "although", with such people, is invariably an unrecognised "because", and that (just as old men are always wonderful for their age, and kings extraordinarily simple, and country cousins astonishingly well-informed) it was the same system of habits that enabled M. de Norpois to undertake so many duties and to be so methodical in answering letters, to go everywhere and to be so friendly when he came to us.