Country manners. Even if somebody phones up to tell you your house is burning down, they ask first how you are.

One drop of hatred in your soul will spread and discolor everything like a drop of black ink in white milk.

I despised their antics because I took life seriously and had a much more lofty and tender notion of romance. But I would have liked to get their attention just the same.

Few people, very few, have a treasure, and if you do you must hang onto it. You must not let yourself be waylaid, and have it taken from you.

Braininess is not attractive unless combined with some signs of elegance; class.

You cannot let your parents anywhere near your real humiliations.

I would really hope this would make people see the short story as an important art, not just something you played around with until you got a novel.