...of economy

In his office, Monsieur worked at keeping his eyes down, and even closed them sometimes, fiat lux, when he was alone. If, in the course of a discussion, a divergence of views happened to arise, he tried not to rock the boat, Monsieur, contenting himself in the thought that he alone was in a position to fully savour his silence. His interlocutors, what's more, quite liked him; and some, without going so far as applauding or flattering him, even found him affable, because of a certain way he had of smiling economically so as not to tarnish his image as a man of discourse.

[Monsieur, Toussaint, J-P.]