In this excerpt from Queens' Play by Dorothy Dunnett, the characters reflect on the nature of the people they are observing. There is a sense that there is very little decency or moral integrity among them, and their behavior is driven by self-interest and practicality rather than virtue.

"Faith," thought O'LiamRoe, "and not a decent creature among them thought to say that the only rule in it is for a man to have a fine, steady seat for an elephant." This quote highlights the corrupt and unstable environment, emphasizing that survival or success is based on having a solid foundation, like a seat for an elephant, rather than ethics or honesty.