f-assurance and consists in a tacit assumption
that one's companion is the only man besides oneself capable of
understanding the folly of the rest of mankind and the reasonableness
and profundity of one's own ideas.

During their long conversation on Wednesday evening, Speranski more than
once remarked: "We regard everything that is above the common level of
rooted custom..." or, with a smile: "But we want the wolves to be fed
and the sheep to be safe..." or: "They cannot understand this..." and
all in a way that seemed to say: "We, you and I, understand what they
are and who we are."

This first long conversation with Speranski only strengthened in Prince
Andrew the feeling he had experienced toward him at their first meeting.
He saw in him a remarkable, clear-thinking man of vast intellect who by
his energy and persistence had attained power, which he was using solely
for the welfare of Russia. In Prince Andrew's eyes Speranski was the man
he would himself have wished to be--one who explained all the facts of
life reasonably, considered important only what was rational, and was
capable of applying the standard of reason to everything. Everything
seemed so simple and clear in Speranski's exposition that Prince Andrew
involuntarily agreed with him about everything. If he replied and
argued, it was only because he wished to maintain his independence and
not submit to Speranski's opinions entirely. Everything was right and
everything was as it should be: only one thing disconcerted Prince
Andrew. This was Speranski's cold, mirrorlike look, which did not allow
one to penetrate to his soul, and his delicate white hands, which Prince
Andrew involuntarily watched as one does watch the hands of those who
possess power. This mirrorlike gaze and those delicate hands irritated
Prince Andrew, he knew not why. He was unpleasantly struck, too, by the
excessive contempt for others that he observed in Speranski, and by the
diversity of lines of argument he used to support his opinions. He
made use of every kind of mental device, except analogy, and passed too
boldly, it seemed to Prince Andrew, from one to another. Now he would
take up the position of a practical man and condemn dreamers; now that
of a satirist, and laugh ironically at his opponents; now grow severely
logical, or suddenly rise to the realm of metaphysics. (This last
resource was one he very frequently employed.) He would transfer a
question to metaphysical heights, p