I was happy enough; I knew that during the night the whole city might go up in flames and all its people be killed, but the ravines, houses, and foot… - Cesare Pavese

At a certain point the two cigars fell at our feet in the snow and then we heard them whispering up there and moving about and then came a sigh louder than the others. When we looked up we could see nothing but the withered vine leaves and thousands of stars in the frosty sky. Nuto said "The blackguards" through his clenched teeth.

This much is certain: you can have anything in life except a wife to call you "her man." And till now all your life was based on that hope.

Don't you know that what happens to you once always happens again? You always react in the same way to the same thing. It's no accident when you make a mess. Then you do it again. It's called destiny.