Ambition and Moral Compromise

The central character, Linford Pratt, is driven by a ruthless desire to rise from his humble position as a clerk to wealth and power, adopting Talleyrand's maxim and showing no objection to crookedness as long as it is safe and secret.

Linford Pratt is introduced as a young man determined to succeed 'by hook or by crook,' willing to embrace crookedness if it can be done safely and secretly, setting the stage for his moral compromises.

Collingwood gives up his Indian appointment for love, while Pratt's ambition drives him to overstep professional boundaries, suggesting moral compromises in pursuit of personal gain.