“There is a thing on this earth, my friend, called love. And a very vile and evil thing it is. It descends upon a man unawares like a shower of rain, and soaks through to his very marrow. It takes away his energy, his pride in his work and person,” he looked down at the lace ruffles at his cuff and stroked them lovingly, and then added, “and I have reason to think that great men feel it more sharply than others.”
Blueneck glanced quickly at the dapper little figure by his side, and shrugged his shoulders.
The Captain was showing signs of strain, he thought.
“Must the wench be willing?” he asked. “Why not carry her off?”
Dick shrugged his shoulders.
“I would rather she were willing,” he said.
Blueneck looked at him, exasperated.
“Well, if you can’t persuade her I don’t know who can,” he muttered, but Dick did not hear him. He was smiling, his eyes half shut.
Blueneck spat.
“Bewitched!” he commented silently to himself. Then an idea struck him and he turned to the Captain.