§ 10
The Captain’s mind was now in a state of almost violent lucidity.
“This sex stuff,” he said; “first I kept it under too tight and now I’ve let it rip too loose.
“I’ve been just a distracted fool, with my head swimming with meetings and embraces and—frills.”
He produced some long impending generalizations.
“Not a man’s work, this Lover business. Dancing about in a world of petticoats and powder puffs and attentions and jealousies. Rotten game. Played off against some other man....
“I’ll be hanged if I am....
“Have to put women in their places....
“Make a hash of everything if we don’t....”
Then for a time the Captain meditated in silence and chewed his knuckle. His face darkened to a scowl. He swore as though some thought twisted and tormented him. “Let some other man get her! Think of her with some other man.”
“I don’t care,” he said, when obviously he did.
“There’s other women in the world.
“A man—a man mustn’t care for that....
“It’s this or that,” said the Captain, “anyhow....”