[ But they're so free with information!... when he asks.
He seemed to mull that over a good long moment. ] I can't even take your word for it, can I? I wasn't there, and you want to hurt her, so you could just be trying to get me to doubt her. [ There is a hard edge to his words, but still some uncertainty. It's like what Conrad warned him about listening to Hiling -- he can't take anything others say at face value because they just want to put a wedge between them. ]