I was thanking him for...well, for something I'm not sure I can explain even now. For showing me that something besides cruelty could be found in the world, I suppose.

I don't think any of us can speak frankly about pain until we are no longer enduring it.

And when I raised myself to look at the man who'd spoken, I had a feeling of leaving my misery behind me there on the stone wall.

Friendship is a precious thing, Sayuri. One mustn't throw it away.

You know, the men go to tea houses with the expectation that they will have a nice quiet evening and not read about it the next morning in the newspaper.

Passion can quickly slip to jealousy, or even hatred.

I stumbled out into the courtyard to try to flee my misery, but of course we can never flee the misery that is within us.