Hanno Buddenbrook was almost the only student whom Herr Modersohn knew by name, and he used that knowledge against him—constantly calling him to order, assigning him extra homework as punishment, and tyrannizing him in general. He only knew Buddenbrook’s name because Hanno was so quiet that he stood out from the rest of the class; and he took advantage of Hanno’s gentleness by exercising his authority over him, because he would not have dared do it with the loud, impudent boys. “People are so mean that they even make it impossible for you to pity them,” Hanno thought. “I don’t join the others
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