"His work certainly appealed to me ...

yes, it appealed to me.

I meant at the time ...

but one forgets; there are so many things." It seemed to me that the man wished by these detached sentences to convey that he had the weight of a kingdom--of several kingdoms--on his mind; that he could spare no more than a fragment of his thoughts for everyday use.
"You must take me to see him," he said, suddenly.

"I ought to have something." I thought of poor white-haired Jenkins, and of his long struggle with adversity.