It is true, I think, that a man who leads — perhaps any man with any responsibility at all — should surround himself with those who do not fear him. Those who will tell him, unabashedly, that he is wrong, or that he is being, perhaps, hard-hearted. A man should have friends, not only those who lead and follow him, and...it is true, too, that I have perhaps too few of those.

In short—

[ He came up next to Cain, reached out to bury a hand briefly and messily in his hair like they were not grown men, just a tall boy and a shorter one, and smiled. ]

I thank you. For being my friend, and for telling me something I dearly hoped not to hear. I shall think on this.