A gentleman is simply a patient wolf.

The line is a cynical epigram about courtship and social performance: “gentleman”ly manners are framed not as evidence of virtue but as a tactic of delay. By calling the gentleman a “patient wolf,” the speaker suggests predatory desire masked by politeness—waiting for the right moment rather than abandoning the hunt. The quote plays on the contrast between civilization (gentlemanly restraint, etiquette) and appetite (the wolf), implying that refinement can be a veneer over self-interest. Read this way, it functions as a warning about charm and appearances, especially in romantic or sexual contexts, where persistence and decorum may conceal manipulation.