In the silence I heard Bastet, who had retreated under the bed, carrying on a mumbling, profane monologue. (If you ask how I knew it was profane, I presume you have never owned a cat.)

The way to get on with a cat is to treat it as an equal - or even better, as the superior it knows itself to be.

I knew the answer, and--of course--so did Ramses. He has superb breath control and always gets in ahead of me.

I've been reading ghost stories ever since I could read. I'm immensely curious about ghosts and UFOs and all that stuff, but I'm a very hard-headed person.

I disapprove of matrimony as a matter of principle.... Why should any independent, intelligent female choose to subject herself to the whims and tyrannies of a husband? I assure you, I have yet to meet a man as sensible as myself! (Amelia Peabody)

Your trousers are on fire. I would have told you, but you so dislike advice.

There are too many people in the world as it is, but the supply of ancient manuscripts is severely limited.