"He would do it if it suited his purpose. He is not the man to take into
consideration such things as feelings--especially the feelings of
others."
"You're a bit hard on him, Ruthine," said Jem doubtfully. "Why should it
suit his convenience?"
"Secrecy was essential for your purpose and his; in telling a secret one
doubles the risk of its disclosure each time a new confidant is admitted.
Besides, the man's nature is quite extraordinarily secretive. He has
Jewish and Scotch blood in his veins, and the result is that he would
rather disseminate false news than true on the off chance of benefiting
thereby later on. For men of that breed each piece of accurate
information, however trivial, has a marketable value, and they don't part
with it unless they get their price."
There followed a silence, during which Jem Agar went back in mental
retrospection to the only interview he had ever had with Seymour Michael,
and the old lurking sense of distrust awoke within his heart.
"But," said the Captain, who was an optimist--he even applied that theory
to human nature--"I suppose it is all right now.
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