The purpose of a work of fiction is to appeal to the lingering after-effects in the reader's mind as differing from, say, the purpose of oratory or philosophy which respectively leave people in a fighting or thoughtful mood.

It seemed that the only lover she had ever wanted was a lover in a dream.

I guess I'm the Black Death,' he said slowly. 'I don't seem to bring people happiness any more.

In short, you have only your emotions to sell. This is the experience of all writers.

I couldn't forgive him or like him, but I saw that what he had done was, to him, entirely justified.

If that was true he must have felt that he had lost the old warm world, paid a high price for living too long with a single dream.

You are the loveliest thing that I have ever known.