“Out of the millions of people we live among, most of whom we habitually ignore and are ignored by in turn, there are always a few who hold hostage our capacity for happiness, whom we could recognise by their smell alone and whom we would rather die than be without.”
“hold hostage our capacity for happiness”… what an ill phrase that is! (I recommend you demand “proof of life” before paying the ransom.)
I disagree! I think it’s very accurate in what it describes. I’ve had many people hold hostage my capacity for happiness, and I knew exactly what he meant.