Chapter 24: He Overlooks the Advances of His Friends, and Smarts Severely for His Neglect

⁠​​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​⁠Steeled with this cautious maxim, he guarded himself from their united endeavours, in sundry subsequent attacks, by which his first conjecture was confirmed, and still came off conqueror, by virtue of his unparalleled finesse and discretion; till at length they seemed to despair of making him their prey, and the count began to drop some hints, importing a desire of seeing him more closely united t