He was not altogether a bad man; nobody is; he was only a coarse, vulgar tradesman, hardened and defiled by a long career of sharp dealing.

At the bottom, he had his feelings like other men, but he could not tolerate exposure or even contradiction; therefore he had revenged himself.

And yet, as he sat there, in solitary glory, he realized that to revenge does not bring happiness, and could even find it in his heart to envy the steadfast honesty that had defied him at the cost of his own ruin.
Not that he meant to relent or alter his determination.

Mr.Meeson never relented, and never changed his mind.

Had he done so he would not at that moment have been the master of two millions of money..