In the first section of Part II the husband seems distant and his thoughts scattered and light. However the lines written by Eliot may allude to a play where the character Flamineo is asked, in a time of stress, about his thoughts. Flamineo replies "Nothing; of nothing: ... I remember nothing" but then adds "There's nothing of so infinite vexation as man's own thoughts." At this time in his life Eliot must have empathised with Flamineo's thoughts.