[It is, and isn't, what he'd expected to hear and once more he spends a long moment in silent consideration.

Then, gently,]

It's a lovely thought--that such empathy could blossom out of the pains and frustrations we'd suffered. But not all Circles were alike, and those lessons won't last beyond our generation. [If there'd even be another generation--a thought he doesn't examine too closely, for many reasons.]

And that's saying nothing of apostates or--other mages who weren't raised in the Circles.