the carnival was a world unto itself , and there were marriages and separations and affairs going on all the time among that tight little group , and sooner or later all of them had occasion to go see james and confide in him , ask him what to say to whom , and when , and how , and he would try to guide them in the ways of kindness and listen patiently when they came back to tell him what new trouble theyd gotten into ignoring his advice the last time , and soon he learned just to listen and sympathize , because people did whatever they were going to do anyway .