The sight of tears upset him and made him quite incapable of reasoning. The chief of his staff and his secretary knew this and warned women who came with petitions that they should on no account give way to tears if they did not want to spoil their case.
El jefe de su oficina y el secretario lo sabían y, cuando el caso se presentaba, avisaban a los visitantes que se abstuvieran en absoluto de llorar ante él si no querían echar a perder su asunto. –Se enfadará y no querrá escucharles –decían.