The line calls attention to the more universal scope of the dialogue occuring beneath the surface: the People are being urged to save mankind from the "destructive rapacity" of its own anarchic impulses, by restoring society. The dynamic operating in this metaphor is that the only way to protect humanity from itself is to reestablish all the evils of exploitative Unity and illusory, unattainable desire. Is the man who advocates this a doctor or a devil?

Monygham's hesitation clearly covers the thought of Mrs Gould, which adds another unspoken layer to the line. To save Mrs Gould from "destructive rapacity" is to save altruism (mankind's hope of reform) from the reality of eternal chaos. Whether benevolent or malevolent, the Devil's primary motive is to preserve (unfounded) hope.