The law should be the point at which savagery ended because civilization stood in its path.

Alcoholism plus criminality plus whatever caused both in the first place form a combination that is very nearly happy-ending-proof.

Ghosts cannot be put on the witness stand, or have their fingerprints taken. They are completely proof against proof.

the possession of power brings on madness.

The scar, and her indifference to it, did something extraordinary for her, just as damage to some art object threw into relief how beautiful it had once been, tarnishing and tempering her face with the reminder of what humanity did to lovely things and how they bore it.

To what do you not drive human hearts, cursed for craving gold!

Insanity has excuses; wickedness has not.