This is a revealing line, showing that Monygham's new ideal of love for Mrs Gould draws strength from his cynicism, from the overarching ideal of his disgrace. As I explained in a previous note , the cynic must love the altruist, because cynicism can only proceed from a foundation of sympathy with mankind. The difference is that the altruist believes hope is possible; the cynic does not. What the cynic treasures in the altruist is precisely the unfounded sense of hope. The more unfounded it is, the greater he must treasure it. Thus the more cynical Monygham gets, the more his devotion to Mrs Gould grows, the one feeding the other.