Steven longed to comfort her, but he didn't dare. After all, he'd practically called her a prostitute earlier, albeit by mistake, and despite the sponge bath he figured he most likely smelled like a mule fart.
In the story, Steven grapples with his feelings of compassion for a woman in distress. He wishes to offer her comfort but hesitates to approach her due to a past incident where he inadvertently insulted her by suggesting she was a prostitute. This embarrassment weighs heavily on him, making him doubt his ability to console her.
Furthermore, Steven's self-consciousness is compounded by his own hygiene, as he humorously acknowledges that he probably smells terrible, likening it to "a mule fart." This adds to his reluctance to engage with her, reflecting both his internal conflicts and the complexities of their relationship.
