Could anything possibly be more humorous than believing in the depth or in the depravity of the Parisian character? - Stendhal

Pierdut într-o visare nedeslușită și blânda, atât de străina firii lui, strângând încetișor mâna care îi plăcea pentru ca i se părea de o frumusețe desăvârșita, el asculta ca în vis freamătul frunzelor de tei foșnind la adierea nopții, si hămăitul câinilor de la moara de pe Doubs.

A strange effect of marriage, such as the nineteenth century has made it! The boredom of married life inevitably destroys love, when love has preceded marriage. And yet, as a philosopher has observed, it speedily brings about, among people who are rich enough not to have to work, an intense boredom with all quiet forms of enjoyment. And it is only dried up hearts, among women, that it does not predispose to love.

La politique dans une oeuvre littéraire, c'est un coup de pistolet au milieu d'un concert, quelque chose de grossier et auquel pourtant il n'est pas possible de refuser son attention.