It is natural to give a clear view of the world after accepting the idea that it must be clear.

The work of art is born of the intelligence's refusal to reason the concrete. It marks the triumph of the carnal.

Your success and happiness are forgiven you only if you generously consent to share them. But to be happy it is essential not to be too concerned with others. Consequently, there is no escape. Happy and judged, or absolved and wretched.

Only he who is uncompromising as to his rights maintains the sense of duty.

If those whom we begin to love could know us as we were before meeting them they could perceive what they have made of us.

For instance, I never complained that my birthday was overlooked; people were even surprised, with a touch of admiration, by my discretion on this subject. But the reason for my disinterestedness was even more discreet: I longed to be forgotten in order to be able to complain to myself... Once my solitude was thoroughly proved, I could surrender to the charms of a virile self-pity.

To be born to create, to love, to win at games is to be born to live in time of peace. But war teaches us to lose everything and become what we were not. It all becomes a question of style.