"Our motive in locking it, if it matters, was to spare you the embarrassment of an interruption. Unless the comte de Sevigny of today is really so different from the Master of Culter of ten years ago?" Lymond questioned, hinting at past actions and implying that despite appearances, some things may not have changed. The tone suggests a cautious conversation about reputation and history.

The young man, relaxed and confident, leaned back and observed Lymond, who responded with a subtle warning about the potential for repeated past behavior. Lymond's remark about the killing of a priest in Montrose fifteen years earlier reveals a complex character haunted by or possibly proud of his past deeds, raising questions about morality, consistency, and change over time.