2495. But it was a certain kind of deceit not before observed so much in others, namely that they were able to slip into any company whatever, because in their life, by outer appearances and pretense as if they could oblige others in all and the least of their desires and aims, they had been able to observe every detail, so that scarcely anything escaped their eyes, and whatever they observed they intended to turn to their own good or advantage without any conscience toward those with whom they were.
In short, there was nothing whatever of what was being thought and happening that they did not pick up on and then want to make use of for their own sake. It was therefore an active deceit constantly looking for ways they could turn something to their profit or advantage, concerned only for themselves, not for others.
2495. But there was a certain kind of cunning in others, not so observable previously, to wit, that they could insinuate themselves into every society; because during life, by means of external appearance and dissimulation, they had as it were accommodated themselves to each and all of those things which others willed and intended: they could observe single things [everything], so that scarcely anything could be snatched from their eyes, and they purpose to turn whatever they observed to their own good or advantage without any conscience towards those with whom they are. In a word, nothing at all was thought and done which they did not catch at, and hence wished to act [do] in their own behalf, so that their cunning was active, with a continual observing how they could make it conduce to their own gain or advantage, only studying their own good, not that of others.
2495. Sed doli erat certum genus, non ita prius in aliis observatum, nempe quod se insinuare possent cuicunque societati quia in vita per externam apparentiam et simulationem, quasi essent accommodati ad omnia et singula ea, quae alii volebant et intendebant, observare poterant singula, sic ut vix quicquam eriperetur oculis eorum, et quicquid observabant, intendunt vertere in sui bonum seu commodum, absque conscientia ulla erga eos, cum quibus sunt; verbo nihil quicquam cogitabatur, et fiebat, quod non exciperent, et inde vellent propter se agere; sic ut dolus esset activus, cum continua intuitione, quomodo sibi possent facere id in lucrum aut in commodum, sibi solum studentes, non aliis.