And now among all his acquaintances he had not one friend.

He had plenty of so-called connections, but no friendships.

Alexey Alexandrovitch had plenty of people whom he could invite to dinner, to whose sympathy he could appeal in any public affair he was concerned about, whose interest he could reckon upon for anyone he wished to help, with whom he could candidly discuss other people's business and affairs of state.

But his relations with these people were confined to one clearly defined channel, and had a certain routine from which it was impossible to depart.