SAT阅读句子求分析,求翻译

SAT阅读句子求分析,求翻译
He found himself hurt by the letter--wounded, to be honest, not only in his self-esteem but in some tenderer place, in that sense of contract( between people that transcends personal animosities and factional differences, that holds the individual distinct from the deed and maintains even in the fieriest oppostion the dream of final agreement and concord. )
括号中的内容没看懂.尤其是between people 那块,between是两者之间的,没有找到是哪两者.而且,后面动词transcends啊holds啊maintains都用的单三,那么主语到底是谁呢?谢啦