A man thinks he is being chilled steel – or adamant, if you prefer the expression – and suddenly the mists clear away and he finds that he has allowed a girl to talk him into something frightful. Samson had the same experience with Delilah.
The quote reflects on the vulnerability of men to persuasion, suggesting that even those who see themselves as strong and unyielding can be swayed by women. It illustrates how a confident man can unexpectedly find himself compromising his principles after being influenced by a woman's charm, drawing a parallel to the biblical story of Samson and Delilah, where strength is undermined by love and desire.
This moment of realization highlights the contrast between self-perception and reality, revealing that no one is entirely impervious to emotional influence. Wodehouse's narrative emphasizes the folly of underestimating the persuasive power of relationships, particularly romantic ones, and the potential for unexpected consequences that can arise from such interactions.