Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to give me your considered opinion concerning the interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentences?

The messenger rode back at an easy trot, stopping pretty often at ale-houses by the way to drink, but evincing a tendency to keep his own counsel, and to keep his hat cocked over his eyes. (Ch. Dickens, “A Tale of Two Cities”)

I could not but wish I had kept my own counsel or that I had sworn my first interviewer to secrecy. I found it very boring to repeat the same thing a dozen times to a dozen interviewers. (W. S. Maugham, “Plays”)

Powell did not know why it was he had resolved to keep his own counsel as to his colloquy with Mr. Smith. (J. Conrad, “Chance”)

He was already richer than any two of the other children put together, but he chose to keep his counsel and to pretend modesty of fortune. (Th. Dreiser, “Jenny Gerhard”)

keep one’s counsel = keep in secrecy, not breath a word to anyone, keep one’s nose, hold one’s peace, don’t let out one’s plans, intentions, thoughts on the matter

V.