'On days when I saw no students I was hurled about in my sleep by hurricanes, downpours and tornadoes. Zero produces one and one is snow, hail, wormwood, and all are nothing. And all was my fault though nothing was, because nothing is. I was determined to arrange the most congenial meetings with people. Prepared to be meek when I was overbearing. After this humiliation I invented an adage: 'He who says he is your equal is making ready to be your despot,' The next occasion I resolved to be a wag, but I encountered such a dullard that in less than an hour with him I proved to be a greater dunce than he.'