Hamilton sighs. He knows full well there is no being rid of these men until they are fully gone. Burr's naivete strikes again.

"Love," says Hamilton, "dear, darling, you have a mind of surpassing quality, and why you, at times, fail entirely to engage it is beyond me." It is a little exasperated, though terribly fond. "He has been humiliated in front of two guards, the commander of the Continental forces, someone he believes to belong to him, and a bastard whoreson -- his object has not been attained -- and he must leave with his tail tucked, when he expected to resume his control over you. Have there been similar incidents before? What did he do then?"