It's part of a writer's profession, as it's part of a spy's profession, to prey on the community to which he's attached, to take away information - often in secret - and to translate that into intelligence for his masters, whether it's his readership or his spy masters. And I think that both professions are perhaps rather lonely.

Summary

This quote expresses the viewpoint that both writers and spies share a common task of gathering information from the communities they are involved in, using it for their respective purposes. It suggests that both professions involve an element of secrecy and detachment, resulting in a sense of loneliness. Whether serving their readership or spy masters, writers and spies rely on their ability to access hidden information and transform it into useful knowledge. The quote highlights the hidden and solitary nature of these occupations, emphasizing the sacrifices and challenges inherent in them.

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