4 A.M
I was first drawn towards him by hearing him argue at a students ' meeting . He was maintaining a fatalistic paradox : the total uselessness of effort , and the vanity of all our distinctions between good and bad . All our acts , he argued , are the outcome of circumstances over which we have no control ; consequently the man who betrays his best friend for interested motives , and the patriot who sacrifices happiness and life for an idea are morally on the same footing -- both seek their own satisfaction , aiming at that goal by different paths ; both by so doing obey a blind impulse . I joined in the argument , opposing him , and we kept the ball going till 4 A.M. . He walked with me to my lodgings and slept on a rug on the floor , and we became fast friends . But though his mind was strong , he was swayed by sensual passions . He married young , burdening himself with the responsibility of a woman and family , and went the way of all who do so .