The novel implies that the man begging for money who approaches Newman is Brooker. In contrast to Ralph, Newman immediately offers Brooker money, even though Newman has substantially less money than Ralph. With that in mind, the novel suggests that wealth itself might make one less compassionate and generous. The information Brooker offers Newman foreshadows later events in the novel. It’s worth asking, too, whether Brooker would have offered the information to Newman if Ralph had treated Brooker with more kindness to begin with.