Meaning of "to undertake the siege of someone's virtue" in "He wished now that he had never undertaken the siege of Miss Wilkinson's virtue" (Maugham)

Question

Of course it was much easier for Frenchmen to do these things; the language was such an aid; Philip could never help feeling that to say passionate things in English sounded a little absurd. He wished now that he had never undertaken the siege of Miss Wilkinson's virtue; the first fortnight had been so jolly, and now he was wretched; but he was determined not to give in, he would never respect himself again if he did, and he made up his mind irrevocably that the next night he would kiss her without fail.

Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham

Can you paraphrase the bold sentence for me?

Answer 1

He wanted to have an affair with Miss Wilkinson. According to the societal customs of that age, a virtuous woman should have rebuffed a man's initial attemps at establishing physical intimacy. He undertook the siege of this "virtue" by expressing his affection to Miss Wilkinson through the meager means provided by the English language (that is, meager compared with those afforded by French).