Coming back here often (on Lake Como) is like a drop of poison; it makes you want to never leave. - Stendhal

Je ne vois qu'une règle: être clair. Si je ne suis pas clair, tout mon monde est anéanti.

Politics in the middle of things of the imagination is like a pistol shot in the middle of a concert. The noise is loud without being forceful. It isn't in harmony with the sound of any instrument. This political discussion will mortally offend half my readers and bore the others, who have found a much more precise and vigorous account of such matters in their morning newspapers.

Mathilde ura din tot sufletul lipsa de caracter; acesta era singurul cusur de care îi învinuia pe frumoşii tineri
din preajma.