You know, Emily was a selfish old woman in her way. She was very generous, but she always wanted a return. She never let people forget what she had done for them - and, that way she missed love.

Evil is not something superhuman, it's something less than human.

It is ridiculous to set a detective story in New York City. New York City is itself a detective story.

Speech ... is an invention of man's to prevent him from thinking.

"Look here," I said, "people like to collect disasters."

Nobody believes in magicians any more, nobody believes that anyone can come along and wave a wand and turn you into a frog. But if you read in the paper that by injecting certain glands scientists can alter your vital tissues and you'll develop froglike characteristics, well, everybody would believe that.

In the midst of life, we are in death.