Once, late at night, an Englishman came out of his hotel room into the corridor and asked a servant for a glass of water. The servant complied. The Englishman returned to his room, but reappeared a few minutes later to request another glass. The servant brought him a second glass.
Every few minutes, the Englishman would emerge from his room and repeat his request. After half an hour, the astonished servant decided to ask what he was doing with all the water. "Nothing," the Englishman answered imperturbably. "It's simply that my room is on fire."