I worried she might spend an afternoon chatting with me about the sights and then wish me best of luck.

I never seek to defeat the man I am fighting, " he explained. "I seek to defeat his confidence. A mind troubled by doubt cannot focus on the course to victory. Two men are equals - true equals - only when they both have equal confidence.

We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill, going more or less in one direction until we splash into something that forces us to find a new course.

Can't you see? Every step I have taken, since I was that child on the bridge, has been to bring myself closer to you.

Those of us with water in our personalities don't pick where we'll flow to. All we can do is flow where the landscape of our lives carries us

I tried to continue, but somehow my throat made up its mind to swallow – though I can’t think what I was swallowing, unless it was a little knot of emotion I pushed back down because there was no room in my face for any more.

The swan who goes on living in its parents' tree will die; this is why those who are beautiful and talented bear the burden of finding their own way in the world.