"Well, maybe that marvelous capacity for befriending monsters as you so put it, is the reason we got along poorly."

Because, and Hickey will go to his grave saying this, he's not a monster. Sure, other people probably think so. But other people weren't in the same situation he was. They just don't know.

"It's not like it matters now, though. There's no point speculating about someone who's not here."