As Hundert realizes that Sedgewick Bell is cheating again, he quotes Heraclitus to himself: "Man's character is his fate." He is thinking of Sedgewick, who was a dishonest schoolboy and is now a dishonest politician.

However, at this stage in the story, the aphorism seems equally applicable to Hundert himself. The first time he had discovered Sedgewick cheating, he felt pity for the boy but decided that it would be best for him to be exposed. The headmaster of St. Benedict's School then told him that if he made a scene in front of the parents, he would have to find another job. Hundert capitulated and allowed the boy to escape unscathed.

This time, Hundert does not even let Sedgewick know that he has discovered his dishonesty until he is about to leave. Sedgewick replies that neither of them has changed very much. He will always be a cheat, and Hundert will always be the type of weak character who allows him to cheat without facing consequences. Since this has been true for over four decades, it appears that it will remain true. However, when Sedgewick attempts to pretend at a political meeting that he went to a public school, Hundert corrects him, revealing his privileged background. The gesture is futile in practical terms, since no one notices, but it does demonstrate that Hundert has been able to develop his character, if not to change his fate.