His loyal and eager nature, brought for the first time to the test of love, gave itself utterly, and demanded a gift as utter without the reservation… - Romain Rolland

بدون حضور او چه‌قدر شکسپیر، چه‌قدر بتهوون میان‌تهی بود!… بله، بی‌شک این‌همه زیبا بود… ولی او دیگر آن‌جا نبود! دیدن چیزهای زیبا، اگر از دریچه‌ی چشم کسی که دوست داریم نباشد، به چه کار می‌آید؟ چه زیبایی، و حتی چه شادی، اگر نتوانیم از آن‌همه در قلب دوست برخوردار گردیم؟

I lay there turning over the pages of my life, thinking of what I had done and left undone, and of the dreams from which I had awakened. How far off seem the bright visions of early boyhood, and how poor and bare the reality looks. I thought of all my expectations, and the small results of my labors; of my wife, who certainly cannot be called either good-natured or good-looking, of my sons who hardly seem to belong to me, with whom I have nothing in common: — of the faithlessness and folly of those around us, of our poor France torn by civil wars and religious persecutions; of my works of art scattered, life itself a handful of ashes, soon to be blown away by the breath of the Destroyer. — I put my face close up against the oak tree, and lay there weeping quietly all among the big roots which cradled me like a father’s arms; and I felt that he listened.

Но нима имаше нужда да чете или наблюдава другите? Достатъчно ѝ бе да надникне в самата себе си. Това бледо, угаснало съществуване, гледано отвън, лумваше толкова силно, когато човек се вгледаше в него! Какъв пълнокръвен живот! Колко спомени, колко неподозирани съкровища!... Съществували ли бяха някога наистина? Те бяха реални, разбира се, защото тя ги чувствуваше такива... О, посредствени съществования, които вълшебната пръчка на бляна преобразява коренно!