He had withdrawn solely for his own personal pleasure, only to be near to himself. No longer distracted by anything external, he basked in his own existence and found it splendid.

He succeeded in being considered totally uninteresting. People left him alone. And that was all he wanted.

He realized that all his life he had been a nobody to everyone. What he now felt was the fear of his own oblivion. It was as though he did not exist.

He had escaped the abhorrent taint! He was truly completely alone! He was the only human being in the world!

And finally - he was neither able nor willing to prevent it - the self-loathing dammed up inside him spilled over and gushed out, gushed out of glaring eyes that grew ever grimmer, angrier, beneath the rim of his cap, flooding the outside world as perfect, vulgar hate.

...he came to the conclusion that you cannot depend on people, and that you can live in peace only if you keep them at arm's length.

He who ruled scent ruled the hearts of men.