“That the price offered would be strictly a minimum Reardon knew well enough. The dealer was a rough and rather dirty fellow, with the distrustful glance which distinguishes his class. Men of Reardon's type when hapless enough to be forced into vulgar commerce, are doubly at a disadvantage; not only of their ignorance, but their sensitiveness, makes them ready victims of even the least subtle man of business. To deal on equal terms with a person you must be able to assert with calm confidence that you are not to be cheated; Reardon was well aware that he would certainly be cheated, and shrank scornfully from the higgling of the market.”
