People he met always postulated that every new day at the pagoda was pristine. That in its primitiveness the pagoda preserved a picturesque piece of history that he should be proud of. Also, the priests pontificated on behalf of the place practically every day. They were positive towards his silence, so he pretended to listen and pondered palindromes in his head.
If he could pick and choose, it would be easy as a pianola; he would not be the person in the pagoda.