Stephen Wainwright traveled, on principle. He had been, on principle,
through Europe more than once, and through portions of Asia and Africa;
in the intervals he made pilgrimages through his own country. He was not
a languid traveler; he had no affectations; but his own marked
impersonality traveled with him, and he was always the most indistinct,
unremembered person on every railroad-car or steamboat. He was the man
without a shadow. Of course, this was only when he chose to step out of
the lime-light which his wealth threw around his every gesture. But he
chose to step out of it very often, and always suffered when he did. He
was for ever adding up different opinions to find the same constantly
recurring sum total of "no consequence." After each experience of the
kind he went back into lime-light, and played at kingship for a while.
He had been doing this for twenty years.