Far in the distance the tugboat whistled; its call passed the bridge, one more arch, then another, the lock, another bridge, farther and farther … It was summoning all the barges on the river, every last one, and the whole city and the sky and the countryside, and ourselves, to carry us all away, the Seine too —and that would be the end of us. – end of Journey to the End of the Night
DID I EVER MENTION THAT her bare arm bore the 8 of vaccination? That I loved her hopelessly? That she was only fourteen? An inquisitive butterfly passed, dipping, between us – Lolita
The hopelessly poignant thing was not Lolita’s absence from my side but her absence from that concord of children. – end of Lolita
Being in love is nothing, it’s sticking together that’s difficult. – Journey, pg 291
Same when it’s very cold, not a soul in the street; I remember now, it was him who had said one time: “The people in Paris always look busy, when all they actually do is roam around from morning to night; it’s obvious, because when the weather isn’t right for walking around, when it’s too cold or too hot, you don’t see them anymore; they’re all indoors, drinking their cafés crèmes or their beers. And that’s the truth. The century of speed! they call it. Where? Great changes! they say. For instance? Nothing has changed. They go on admiring themselves, that’s all. And that’s not new either. Words. Even the words haven’t changed much. Two or three little ones, here and there…” Pleased at having proclaimed these useful truths, we sat looking at the ladies in the café. – Journey, pg 1
If men were angels, no government would be necessary – Madison, Federalist 51
Every new beginning comes from another beginning’s end – Seneca, Letters
Some say a waste of time; others an incredible waste of time. – Conan O’Brien
It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare. It is because we do not dare that they are difficult. – Seneca, Letters
And on special dank midnights in August, he peeks out of the shutters and sometimes he speaks and tells how the Lorax was lifted away. He’ll tell you, perhaps… if you’re willing to pay. – The Lorax
“Love, free as air at sight of human ties, spreads his light wings, and in a moment flies” – Alexander Pope, “Eloisa to Abelard”
You can always trust a murderer for his fancy prose style – Nabokov, Lolita pg 1
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