Things and men have always a certain sense, a certain side by which they must be got hold of if one wants to obtain a solid grasp and a perfect
command. The power of Councillor Mikulin consisted in the ability to seize upon that sense, that side in the men he used. It did not matter to him what it was – vanity, despair, love, hate, greed, intelligent pride, or stupid conceit, it was all one to him as long as the man could be made to serve. The obscure, unrelated young student Razumov, in the moment of great morale loneliness, was allowed to feel that he was an object of interest to a small group of people of high position.
Bruno Nesin 