For this reason, the secret is surrounded by the possibility and temptation of betrayal; and the external danger of being discovered is interwoven with the internal danger, which is like the fascination of an abyss, of giving oneself away. The secret puts a barrier between men but, at the same time, it creates the tempting challenge to break through it, by gossip or confession and this challenge accompanies its psychology like a constant overtone.

XREF: Connects to sociological/psychological theory of secrecy by Simmel — the dialectic of concealment and disclosure.

Georg Simmel, The Sociology of Georg Simm…, loc. 8094