--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He was one of those men who can both get…" description: "\"“He was one of those men who can both get money and keep it. He must have been a millionaire. He kept accounts. He introduced a post-office atmosphere ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77f/gerald-kersh-44366_crime-fiction_he-was-one-of-those-men-who-can-both-get_650946.png" --- # He was one of those men who can both get money and keep… ![“He was one of those men who can both get money and keep it. He must have been a millionaire. He kept accounts. He introduced a post-office atmosphere into his shady dealings. Not a stamp, not a pen-nib escaped him, and he would stay up half the night to figure out what had happened to a mislaid…” quote by Gerald Kersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77f/gerald-kersh-44366_crime-fiction_he-was-one-of-those-men-who-can-both-get_650946.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77f/gerald-kersh-44366_crime-fiction_he-was-one-of-those-men-who-can-both-get_650946.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77f/gerald-kersh-44366_crime-fiction_he-was-one-of-those-men-who-can-both-get_650946.png) > ““He was one of those men who can both get money and keep it. He must have been a millionaire. He kept accounts. He introduced a post-office atmosphere into his shady dealings. Not a stamp, not a pen-nib escaped him, and he would stay up half the night to figure out what had happened to a mislaid farthing. You cannot conceive the caution and the meanness of that man! He would have made a Syrian pawn-broker appear like Diamond Jim Brady. But he had brains, and also nerve. At the same time, he was as smooth as glycerine. He looked like an octopus — he had a dirtyish pallor, no shape, evil eyes, and a beak. In shaking hands with him, you felt that six or seven other hands were investigating your pockets while a dozen eyes watched you. He was feared. He made money out of everything. But he was still unknown to the police.”” [Gerald Kersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-kersh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A shrewd, meticulous criminal mastermind who obsessively tracks every detail, blending intelligence with ruthless caution. **In simple terms:** A clever, careful criminal who watches everything. Key Takeaway Beware of over‑analysis and paranoia. Themes caution power deception control Mood suspicious analytical Type character study warning When to use this quote - business negotiations - financial audits - risk management - security assessments Key Concepts psychology crime detail orientation Questions to Reflect On - How does obsessive detail affect relationships? - When does caution become paranoia? A Different Perspective His extreme vigilance can breed mistrust and isolation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crime fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime-fiction/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Pulp fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pulp-fiction/) ## Related quotes > [I just felt the power and the meanness of the man I was messing with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-just-felt-the-power-and-the-meanness-of-the-man-i-was-messing-with/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Its bad when men have money for cars, rims , shoes and etc. But when it comes to feeding their child or supporting their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kale-bell/its-bad-when-men-have-money-for-cars-rims-shoes-and-etc-but-when-it/) [Kale Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kale-bell/) > [The key to growth is quite simple: creative men with money. The cause of stagnation is similarly clear: depriving creative individuals of financial power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gilder/the-key-to-growth-is-quite-simple-creative-men-with-money-the-cause/) [George Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gilder/) > [Women are starting something like twice as many companies as men, but the money is primarily going to companies started by men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-borg/women-are-starting-something-like-twice-as-many-companies-as-men-but/) [Anita Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-borg/) > [I predict you will sink step by step into a bottomless quagmire, however much you spend in men and money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/i-predict-you-will-sink-step-by-step-into-a-bottomless-quagmire/) [Charles De Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [“For men, money, like sex, is something that nearly everybody wants more of, and unless you are famous or influential, you probably have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/for-men-money-like-sex-is-something-that-nearly-everybody-wants-more/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Words are the counters of wise men, and the money of fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/words-are-the-counters-of-wise-men-and-the-money-of-fools/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [For mines are for men, not for money. And money is not something to go mad about, and throw your hat into the air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-paton/for-mines-are-for-men-not-for-money-and-money-is-not-something-to-go/) [Alan Paton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-paton/) > [“Birds are caught with seed, men with money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armenian-proverb/birds-are-caught-with-seed-men-with-money/) Armenian Proverb > [Men if you have no money, no job, no type of education, I suggest you leave the ladies alone until your mind is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/men-if-you-have-no-money-no-job-no-type-of-education-i-suggest-you/) Enhance Dreams > [“You say, "There are men who have no money," and you apply the law. But the law is not a self-supplied fountain, whence every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bastiat-frederick/you-say-there-are-men-who-have-no-money-and-you-apply-the-law-but-the/) [Bastiat, Frederick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bastiat-frederick/) > [Women have to work much harder to make it in this world. It really pisses me off that women don't get the same opportunities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/women-have-to-work-much-harder-to-make-it-in-this-world-it-really/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [When men have money and power they get turned on, sexually. They get horny as hell. Can't imagine why, though.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-spheeris/when-men-have-money-and-power-they-get-turned-on-sexually-they-get/) [Penelope Spheeris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-spheeris/) > [I don't like the mentality that comes with rich Russian men. Because they have money, they think they can buy a woman - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olga-kurylenko/i-don-t-like-the-mentality-that-comes-with-rich-russian-men-because/) [Olga Kurylenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olga-kurylenko/) > [“You can trust any number of men with your money, but mighty few with your reputation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-horace-lorimer/you-can-trust-any-number-of-men-with-your-money-but-mighty-few-with/) [George Horace Lorimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-horace-lorimer/) ## More by Gerald Kersh > [“Now Mrs. Greensleeve, who knew that she was going to die, thought of death in the same way a nightbound wanderer in the rain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-kersh/now-mrs-greensleeve-who-knew-that-she-was-going-to-die-thought-of/) [Gerald Kersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-kersh/) > [I can't believe in the God of my Fathers. If there is one Mind which understands all things, it will comprehend me in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-kersh/i-can-t-believe-in-the-god-of-my-fathers-if-there-is-one-mind-which/) [Gerald Kersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-kersh/) > [Now, you mummy's darlings, get a rift on them boots. Definitely shine em, my little curly-headed lambs, for in our mob, war or no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-kersh/now-you-mummy-s-darlings-get-a-rift-on-them-boots-definitely-shine-em/) [Gerald Kersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-kersh/) > [“He opened the door and led me through a corridor into a dark green lounge curiously paneled with pale green glass behind which, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-kersh/he-opened-the-door-and-led-me-through-a-corridor-into-a-dark-green/) [Gerald Kersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-kersh/) > [“In proper men there is hidden a light which darkness makes visible. 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Fair is somewhere you go to ride the dodgems and win a goldfish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-billingham/life-isn-t-fair-fair-is-somewhere-you-go-to-ride-the-dodgems-and-win-2/) [Mark Billingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-billingham/) > [“One of the two owners, the man who had been sitting in the front room, was stretched out in there asleep, stockinged-toes pointed at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/one-of-the-two-owners-the-man-who-had-been-sitting-in-the-front-room/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [“The Professor is coming...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-professor-is-coming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The village of Holcomb stands on the high wheat plains of western Kansas, a lonesome area that other Kansans call ‘out there.’ . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/the-village-of-holcomb-stands-on-the-high-wheat-plains-of-western/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [I've been writing since 1973. 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Not a stamp, not a pen-nib escaped him, and he would stay up half the night to figure out what had happened to a mislaid farthing. You cannot conceive the caution and the meanness of that man! He would have made a Syrian pawn-broker appear like Diamond Jim Brady. But he had brains, and also nerve. At the same time, he was as smooth as glycerine. He looked like an octopus — he had a dirtyish pallor, no shape, evil eyes, and a beak. In shaking hands with him, you felt that six or seven other hands were investigating your pockets while a dozen eyes watched you. He was feared. He made money out of everything. 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