My pet aphorism suffer fools gladly should be the guide of the Assistant Secretary, who, during the fortnight of his activity, has more little vanities and rivalries to smooth over and conciliate than other people meet with in a lifetime. Now you do not suffer fools gladly; on the contrary, you gladly make fools suffer. I do not say you are wrong; No tu quoque'; but that is where the danger of the explosion lies'; not in regard to the larger business of the Association.

Summary

This quote emphasizes the importance of having patience and tolerance towards incompetent or foolish individuals in certain situations. It suggests that the Assistant Secretary should possess the ability to handle petty conflicts and egos that arise within a limited timeframe, since they may encounter more such challenges within that period than most people do in their lifetime. Contrarily, the quote points out that the person being referred to lacks patience and instead takes pleasure in exposing the foolishness of others. While this approach may not be completely wrong, the real danger lies in letting this attitude create explosions and potential disruptions, particularly in dealing with larger matters concerning the Association.