He could make her weep at will, upset her with such emotion that she failed to distinguish the clear aspect of things; and he took advantage of this power to always hold her pliant and in pain in his hand, as it were.
Il pouvait la faire pleurer à volonté, la briser d'une émotion qui lui ôtait la vue nette des choses, et il abusait de son pouvoir pour la tenir toujours souple et endolorie dans sa main.