He was helpless.

He was bound and delivered by it.

And if by the obscure promptings of my composite temperament I beheld him with malicious amusement, yet being in fact, by definition and especially from profound conviction, a man, I could not help sympathizing with him largely.

Seeing him thus disarmed, so completely captive by the very nature of things I was moved to speak to him kindly.
"Well.

And what do you think of it ?" "I don't know.