To a statesman, to a financier, such a gift as he possessed would make him a ruler of men.
Philip had no desire to be a ruler of men; but he asked himself how could he bend this gift to serve his own?
What he most wished was to marry Helen Carey; and, to that end, to possess money.

So he must meet men who possessed money, who were making money.

He would put questions to them.

And with words they would give evasive answers; but their minds would tell him the truth.
The ethics of this procedure greatly disturbed him.

Certainly it was no better than reading other people's letters.