Unknown to himself, the mainspring of all thought and action had been taken out of his existence together with the very memory of it.

For years he had lived and moved and wandered over the earth in obedience to one dominant idea.

By a magic of which he knew nothing that idea had been annihilated, temporarily, if not for ever, and the immediate consequence had been the cessation of all interest and of all desire for individual action.
The suspension of all anxiety, restlessness and mental suffering had benefited the physical man though it had reduced the intelligence to a state bordering upon total apathy.
But organisations, mental or physical, of great natural strength, are never reduced to weakness by a period of inactivity.

It is those minds and bodies which have been artificially developed by a long course of training to a degree of power they were never intended to possess, which lose that force almost immediately in idleness.

The really very strong man has no need of constant gymnastic exercise; he will be stronger than other men whatever he does.