During their long conversation on Wednesday evening, Speránski 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.”