Major Poly

This angelic quality [of Paul’s face] was not necessarily always reflected in Paul’s behaviour.  Hoffman noted that though in terms of verbal wit he could give as good as he got, Paul’s replies lacked the caustic edge of John’s words: “There was never really any bitterness in Paul.” 

Yet it seemed to the photographer that the vicious vitriol John would pour on often undeserving victims was quite evidently to Paul’s pleasure.  “In a way Paul wallowed in it, because John always played up to his requirements. It’s a useful thing to have somebody like that, who’s capable of putting down people you don’t like.”

Because Paul was the one who reigned John in when he got like that, he was the one who could calm him down and actually have the authority to tell John enough.