Bastien inhales deeply, as if preparing to confess something somber, then says: “No, not really.”

He doesn’t usually have many friends, first of all, and secondly, he generally proceeds with telling people anything serious about himself like someone walking on ice, listening, careful not to put too much weight where it might cause a crack. But I was just being polite would probably not be the best thing to say to someone this skittish, however good-humored the delivery. So.

“I have seen it, though. I once saw a poor man exiled from his entire social circle for overestimating how much they were prepared to know about his marital problems.”