He knew many persons whom he could invite to dinner, could ask to take part in anything he was interested in or to use their influence for some petitioner, and with whom he could frankly discuss the actions of other men and of the Government; but his relations with these persons were confined to a sphere strictly limited by custom and habit from which it was impossible to escape.
Aleksej Aleksandrovic aveva molte persone da poter invitare a pranzo a casa sua, alle quali poteva chiedere la partecipazione in un affare che lo interessava, una raccomandazione per qualche protetto, persone con le quali poteva giudicare le azioni delle alte personalità del governo, ma i rapporti con queste persone erano chiusi in un campo solo, fermamente circoscritto dall’uso e dall’abitudine.