The illusion which exalts us is dearer to us than ten thousand truths.

He had two lives: one, open, seen and known by all who cared to know, full of relative truth and of relative falsehood, exactly like the lives of his friends and acquaintances; and another life running its course in secret. And through some strange, perhaps accidental, conjunction of circumstances, everything that was essential, of interest and of value to him, everything in which he was sincere and did not deceive himself, everything that made the kernel of his life, was hidden from other people.

I observed that after marriage people cease to be curious.

I have no will of my own. Never did. Limp and lily-livered, I always obey - is it possible that's attractive to women?

I feel more confident and more satisfied when I reflect that I have two professions and not one. Medicine is my lawful wife and literature is my mistress. When I get tired of one I spend the night with the other. Though it's disorderly it's not so dull, and besides, neither really loses anything, through my infidelity.

It's very hard, feeling that you're no more than a piece of unwanted furniture in this world.

When asked, "Why do you always wear black?", he said, "I am mourning for my life.