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"But why so?" Vronsky mentioned a few men who were in power. "Why

aren't they independent men?"

"Simply because they have not, or have not had from birth, an

independent fortune; they've not had a name, they've not been

close to the sun and center as we have. They can be bought either

by money or by favor. And they have to find a support for

themselves in inventing a policy. And they bring forward some

notion, some policy that they don't believe in, that does harm;

and the whole policy is really only a means to a government house

and so much income. _Cela n'est pas plus fin que ca_, when you

get a peep at their cards. I may be inferior to them, stupider

perhaps, though I don't see why I should be inferior to them. But

you and I have one important advantage over them for certain, in

being more difficult to buy. And such men are more needed than

ever."